Khadíjih-Bagum
Encyclopedia
Khadíjih Bagum was the wife of the Báb
. Throughout Bahá'í literature she is sometimes referred to as Khadíjih-Sultán Bagum, Khadíjih Bigum or Khadíjih Khánum.
. The appellation given to her Bagum ("Bagum" signifies "Lady"), is seen as a sign of respect and should not be confused with as being part of her name. Her father Áqá Mír `Alí was a merchant importing goods from Bushier. He worked in the family’s mercantile business and the least successful member of the family. Her mother Ḥájíyyih Bíbí of Jahrum who had been widowed when she married Khadíjih’s father. From her mother’s first marriage Khadíjih had one half brother named Muhammad-Mihdí a noted poet and a half sister known as `Ammih Ḥájí who when grown up married Hájí Mírzá Siyyid `Alí the guardian of the Báb in his childhood. She had three full siblings: two brothers, Ḥájí Mírzá Abu'l-Qasim who followed the family occupancy of merchancy, Ḥájí Mírzá Siyyid Hasan, who became a teacher of medicine and studied theology and one sister named Zahrá.
At a young age she was acquainted with the Báb being his second-cousin-one-removed and the two were playmates during their childhood. As the two grew older however following custom the two did not see each other. In his young manhood the Báb was wont to go on pilgrimage to Karbila for long periods of time. This distressing his mother caused her to search for something to keep the 23-year-old Báb in Shiraz – a wife. This resulted in the marriage of Khadíjih Bagum and the Báb arranged swiftly perhaps to dissuade him from leaving Shiraz. The 20-year-old Khadíjih Bagum married the Báb on August 25, 1842 in Shiraz the ceremony being conducted by the imam of the city Shaykh Abú-Turáb. The young couple moved into a modest compound with the Báb, Khadíjih and his mother Fátimih Bagum.
At the age of 28 Khadíjih was widowed after the Báb was killed by firing squad. She then moved into the house of her sister Zahrá. Fearing for her health, the men of the household thought it prudent to keep the Báb’s passing a secret from her and his mother for almost a year. However with the death of the uncle of the Báb, as well as his 18-year-old son, the secret could not be kept. When revealed the family were distraught and all three were mourned together. The mother of the Báb was horrified and decided to retire to Karbila. This departure meant that Khadíjih was dependent only on Fiddih and her sister. "Her departure from Shiraz added greatly to my burden of sorrow and deepened the sadness of my heart. I had no longer by my side a comforter whose love and sympathy and care had sustained me over the years" she remarked.
. She later recognized Bahá'u'lláh's
claim, and became a Bahá'í
. She kept in correspondence with Bahá'u'lláh while she had returned to Shiraz and lived in her her previous home. Greatly revered by the Bahá’ís many would visit her whilst journeying to see Bahá’u’lláh. One occasion the very young Fátimih Nahrí of Isfahán
accompanied by her brother visited, “they stayed for fifteen days, and those were some of the happiest days of my life” she later reflected.
Later she was to make a journey to 'Akká
to visit Bahá'u'lláh in 1882 with her nephew who was to come from Yazd
. However when her nephew went straight to Ottoman Syria
, she was not being able to go, as women could not travel alone. After hearing the news, her health rapidly decreased. She died on September 15, 1882 at the age of sixty, and was buried in Shiraz
. The same night her devoted maid and closest friend, an African named Fiddih, died too. In the Kitáb-i-Badí, Bahá'u'lláh gives her the title of Khayru'n Nisa (The Most Virtuous of Women) and forbids all women, save Fátimih Bagum, the Báb's mother, from adopting the title.
Báb
Siyyid `Alí Muḥammad Shírází was the founder of Bábism, and one of three central figures of the Bahá'í Faith. He was a merchant from Shíráz, Persia, who at the age of twenty-four claimed to be the promised Qá'im . After his declaration he took the title of Báb meaning "Gate"...
. Throughout Bahá'í literature she is sometimes referred to as Khadíjih-Sultán Bagum, Khadíjih Bigum or Khadíjih Khánum.
Background
The second daughter of her parents Khadíjih Bagum was born with the name of Khadíjih-Sultán Shírází in 1822 in ShirazShiraz
Shiraz may refer to:* Shiraz, Iran, a city in Iran* Shiraz County, an administrative subdivision of Iran* Vosketap, Armenia, formerly called ShirazPeople:* Hovhannes Shiraz, Armenian poet* Ara Shiraz, Armenian sculptor...
. The appellation given to her Bagum ("Bagum" signifies "Lady"), is seen as a sign of respect and should not be confused with as being part of her name. Her father Áqá Mír `Alí was a merchant importing goods from Bushier. He worked in the family’s mercantile business and the least successful member of the family. Her mother Ḥájíyyih Bíbí of Jahrum who had been widowed when she married Khadíjih’s father. From her mother’s first marriage Khadíjih had one half brother named Muhammad-Mihdí a noted poet and a half sister known as `Ammih Ḥájí who when grown up married Hájí Mírzá Siyyid `Alí the guardian of the Báb in his childhood. She had three full siblings: two brothers, Ḥájí Mírzá Abu'l-Qasim who followed the family occupancy of merchancy, Ḥájí Mírzá Siyyid Hasan, who became a teacher of medicine and studied theology and one sister named Zahrá.
At a young age she was acquainted with the Báb being his second-cousin-one-removed and the two were playmates during their childhood. As the two grew older however following custom the two did not see each other. In his young manhood the Báb was wont to go on pilgrimage to Karbila for long periods of time. This distressing his mother caused her to search for something to keep the 23-year-old Báb in Shiraz – a wife. This resulted in the marriage of Khadíjih Bagum and the Báb arranged swiftly perhaps to dissuade him from leaving Shiraz. The 20-year-old Khadíjih Bagum married the Báb on August 25, 1842 in Shiraz the ceremony being conducted by the imam of the city Shaykh Abú-Turáb. The young couple moved into a modest compound with the Báb, Khadíjih and his mother Fátimih Bagum.
Marriage life and developments
In 1843 she gave birth to the couple’s only child, a boy named Ahmad who died a few months later. Ahmad was buried in the vicinity of Bíbí-Dukhtarán in Shiraz, but his body was later removed. The birth was a difficult one, with the life of Khadíjih at stake and she never conceived again. The death of her only child was very hard for her to bear and the Báb consoled her assuring their son was in heaven. She later recalled how the earliest days of her marriage were some of the happiest times of her life. Following the sojourn of her husband to Isfahan for his safety she lived a lonely life with the mother of the Báb and her closest companion an African servant named Fiddih. Anguished at separation from her husband she consoled herself with letters he sent her revealing a loving relationship the two had. News concerning the Báb reached her and Fátimih Bagum only sporadically. Family members were often resentful and embarrassed about connection to the Báb and distanced themselves from Khadíjih with only one sister Zahrá dressing herself as a peasant came to tell her sister news of the Báb.At the age of 28 Khadíjih was widowed after the Báb was killed by firing squad. She then moved into the house of her sister Zahrá. Fearing for her health, the men of the household thought it prudent to keep the Báb’s passing a secret from her and his mother for almost a year. However with the death of the uncle of the Báb, as well as his 18-year-old son, the secret could not be kept. When revealed the family were distraught and all three were mourned together. The mother of the Báb was horrified and decided to retire to Karbila. This departure meant that Khadíjih was dependent only on Fiddih and her sister. "Her departure from Shiraz added greatly to my burden of sorrow and deepened the sadness of my heart. I had no longer by my side a comforter whose love and sympathy and care had sustained me over the years" she remarked.
Later life
According to her own later account, she had recognized the Báb's religious station before the Báb had declared his mission to Mulla HusaynMullá Husayn
Mullá Husayn-i Bushru'i , titled Jináb-i-Bábu'l-Báb , was a Persian religious figure, and the first Letter of the Living of the Bábí movement. He died at the Battle of Fort Shaykh Tabarsi, on February 2, 1849...
. She later recognized Bahá'u'lláh's
Bahá'u'lláh
Bahá'u'lláh , born ' , was the founder of the Bahá'í Faith. He claimed to be the prophetic fulfilment of Bábism, a 19th-century outgrowth of Shí‘ism, but in a broader sense claimed to be a messenger from God referring to the fulfilment of the eschatological expectations of Islam, Christianity, and...
claim, and became a Bahá'í
Bahá'í Faith
The Bahá'í Faith is a monotheistic religion founded by Bahá'u'lláh in 19th-century Persia, emphasizing the spiritual unity of all humankind. There are an estimated five to six million Bahá'ís around the world in more than 200 countries and territories....
. She kept in correspondence with Bahá'u'lláh while she had returned to Shiraz and lived in her her previous home. Greatly revered by the Bahá’ís many would visit her whilst journeying to see Bahá’u’lláh. One occasion the very young Fátimih Nahrí of Isfahán
Munirih Khánum
Munírih Khánum was the wife of `Abdu'l-Bahá, the son of the founder of the Bahá'í Faith, Bahá'u'lláh. She was entitled the Holy Mother...
accompanied by her brother visited, “they stayed for fifteen days, and those were some of the happiest days of my life” she later reflected.
Later she was to make a journey to 'Akká
Acre, Israel
Acre , is a city in the Western Galilee region of northern Israel at the northern extremity of Haifa Bay. Acre is one of the oldest continuously inhabited sites in the country....
to visit Bahá'u'lláh in 1882 with her nephew who was to come from Yazd
Yazd
Yazd is the capital of Yazd Province in Iran, and a centre of Zoroastrian culture. The city is located some 175 miles southeast of Isfahan. At the 2006 census, the population was 423,006, in 114,716 families....
. However when her nephew went straight to Ottoman Syria
Ottoman Syria
Ottoman Syria is a European reference to the area that during European Renaissance from the late 15th to early 18th century was called the Levant within the early period of the Ottoman Empire, the Orient until the early 19th century, and Greater Syria until 1918...
, she was not being able to go, as women could not travel alone. After hearing the news, her health rapidly decreased. She died on September 15, 1882 at the age of sixty, and was buried in Shiraz
Shiraz
Shiraz may refer to:* Shiraz, Iran, a city in Iran* Shiraz County, an administrative subdivision of Iran* Vosketap, Armenia, formerly called ShirazPeople:* Hovhannes Shiraz, Armenian poet* Ara Shiraz, Armenian sculptor...
. The same night her devoted maid and closest friend, an African named Fiddih, died too. In the Kitáb-i-Badí, Bahá'u'lláh gives her the title of Khayru'n Nisa (The Most Virtuous of Women) and forbids all women, save Fátimih Bagum, the Báb's mother, from adopting the title.
See also
Bahá'í Holy Family:- `Abdu'l-Bahá`Abdu'l-Bahá‘Abdu’l-Bahá , born ‘Abbás Effendí, was the eldest son of Bahá'u'lláh, the founder of the Bahá'í Faith. In 1892, `Abdu'l-Bahá was appointed in his father's will to be his successor and head of the Bahá'í Faith. `Abdu'l-Bahá was born in Tehran to an aristocratic family of the realm...
— eldest son of Ásíyih and Bahá'u'lláh - Shoghi EffendiShoghi EffendiShoghí Effendí Rabbání , better known as Shoghi Effendi, was the Guardian and appointed head of the Bahá'í Faith from 1921 until his death in 1957...
— great-grandson of Ásíyih and the Guardian of the Bahá'í Faith - Rúhíyyih KhánumRúhíyyih KhanumAmatu'l-Bahá Rúhíyyih Khánum , born Mary Sutherland Maxwell was the wife of Shoghi Effendi, the head of the Bahá'í Faith from 1921–1957. She was appointed by him as a Hand of the Cause, and served an important role in the transfer of authority from 1957–1963...
— the wife of Shoghi Effendi - Bahíyyih KhánumBahiyyih KhánumBahíyyih Khánum the only daughter of Bahá'u'lláh, the founder of the Bahá'í Faith, and Ásíyih Khánum. She was born in 1846 with the given name Fatimih Sultan, and was entitled "Varaqiy-i-'Ulyá" or "Greatest Holy Leaf"...
— daughter of Bahá'u'lláh - Mirzá MihdíMírzá MihdíMírzá Mihdí , given the title Ghusn-i-Athar . Mírzá Mihdí was born Mihdí Núrí in Tehran, and named after a deceased brother of his father.-Biography:...
— Bahá'u'lláh's youngest son from his first wife - Ásiyih KhánumÁsíyih KhánumÁsíyih Khánum was the wife of Bahá'u'lláh, the founder of the Bahá'í Faith. She is viewed by Bahá’ís as the paragon of a devoted mother and wife. She is also known by her titles of Navváb, the Most Exalted Leaf, Búyúk Khánum or Hadrat-i-Khánum. Khánum, is a title usually given to a Persian lady...
— Bahá'u'lláh's wife - Munirih KhánumMunirih KhánumMunírih Khánum was the wife of `Abdu'l-Bahá, the son of the founder of the Bahá'í Faith, Bahá'u'lláh. She was entitled the Holy Mother...
— `Abdu'l-Bahá's wife