Varqá
Encyclopedia
Varqá born Mírzá `Alí-Muhammad (died 1896), was an eminent follower of Bahá'u'lláh
, the founder of the Bahá'í Faith
, a global religion of Persian origin. Varqá was referred to by `Abdu'l-Bahá
as a Hand of the Cause of God, and identified as one of the nineteen Apostles of Bahá'u'lláh
.
Bahá'u'lláh wrote a tablet addressed to Varqá, praising the high station of the King and Beloved of Martyrs
.
. This story is summarized from Balyuzi's book.
The executioner, Hajibu'd Dawlih, was particularly enraged with his prisoners, and brought out Varqá and Rúhu'lláh into an inner room. Varqá's calm reply to questioning further maddened his captors. The executioner plunged a dagger into the chest of Varqá saying 'How are you?' to which Varqá repllied 'Feeling better than you'. Hajibu'd Dawlih then asked him which should die first, him or his son Rúhu'lláh, to which Varqá replied 'It is the same to me.'
Hajibu'd Dawlih and four others then began to tear Varqá apart in front of his son. He made an offer to Rúhu'lláh that he could be adopted, offered an allowance, given a post in the government, but Rúhu'lláh asked to join his father instead. Hajibu'd Dawlih then strangled him with a bastinado. After his dead body fell to the ground, Rúhu'lláh's body raised and then fell to the ground again, a yard away. The experience scared Hajibu'd Dawlih so much that he ran away screaming.
, later was appointed a Hand of the Cause
by Shoghi Effendi
in 1951. When the latter died in 1955, the grandson of Varqá, `Alí-Muhammad Varqá
was appointed in his place.
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...
, the founder of the Bahá'í Faith
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....
, a global religion of Persian origin. Varqá was referred to by `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...
as a Hand of the Cause of God, and identified as one of the nineteen Apostles of Bahá'u'lláh
Apostles of Bahá'u'lláh
The Apostles of Bahá'u'lláh were nineteen eminent early followers of Bahá'u'lláh, the founder of the Bahá'í Faith. The apostles were designated as such by Shoghi Effendi, the Guardian of the Bahá'í Faith, and the list was included in The Bahá'í World, Vol...
.
Bahá'u'lláh wrote a tablet addressed to Varqá, praising the high station of the King and Beloved of Martyrs
Núrayn-i-Nayyirayn
Núrayn-i-Nayyirayn are two brothers who were followers of Bahá'u'lláh, the founder of the Bahá'í Faith, a global religion of Persian origin. They were beheaded in 1879 as a result of being Bahá'ís...
.
Execution
Varqá is well known as the father of Rúhu'lláh. The two of them were the first among a large group to be martyred in 1896 by Persian authorities for being Bahá'ísBahá'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....
. This story is summarized from Balyuzi's book.
The executioner, Hajibu'd Dawlih, was particularly enraged with his prisoners, and brought out Varqá and Rúhu'lláh into an inner room. Varqá's calm reply to questioning further maddened his captors. The executioner plunged a dagger into the chest of Varqá saying 'How are you?' to which Varqá repllied 'Feeling better than you'. Hajibu'd Dawlih then asked him which should die first, him or his son Rúhu'lláh, to which Varqá replied 'It is the same to me.'
Hajibu'd Dawlih and four others then began to tear Varqá apart in front of his son. He made an offer to Rúhu'lláh that he could be adopted, offered an allowance, given a post in the government, but Rúhu'lláh asked to join his father instead. Hajibu'd Dawlih then strangled him with a bastinado. After his dead body fell to the ground, Rúhu'lláh's body raised and then fell to the ground again, a yard away. The experience scared Hajibu'd Dawlih so much that he ran away screaming.
Family
The son of Varqá, Valíyu'lláh VarqáValíyu'lláh Varqá
Mírzá Valíyu'lláh Khán-i-Varqá was a prominent Persian Bahá'í, and appointed a Hand of the Cause by Shoghi Effendi.He was the son of Varqá, the martyr-poet, and the father of `Alí-Muhammad Varqá, ....
, later was appointed a Hand of the Cause
Hands of the Cause
The Hands of the Cause of God, Hands of the Cause, or Hands were a select group of Bahá'ís, appointed for life, whose main function was to propagate and protect the Bahá'í Faith...
by Shoghi Effendi
Shoghi Effendi
Shoghí 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...
in 1951. When the latter died in 1955, the grandson of Varqá, `Alí-Muhammad Varqá
`Alí-Muhammad Varqá
`Alí-Muhammad Varqá was a prominent adherent of the Bahá'í Faith. He was the longest surviving Hand of the Cause of God, an appointed position in the Bahá'í Faith whose main function is to propagate and protect the religion on the international level.Varqá was born in 1911 in Tehran, Iran to a...
was appointed in his place.