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Awakening: A History of the Babi and Baha'i Faiths in Nayriz
Awakening: A History of the Babi and Bahai Faiths in Nayriz is an inspiring account of the brutal religious persecutions that took place in 1850, 1853, and 1909 in the town of Nayriz, Iran, against its Babi and Bahai residents.
During this time, the town’s citizens, spurred on by a corrupt Muslim clergy and government, launched several waves of bloodshed against the Babis—and later Bahais—who lived there. This type of persecution continues today in present-day Iran toward the Bahai's—on a more subtle level—and the history of the Babi and Bahai Faiths in Nayriz serves as a reminder of what can happen when religious fanaticism and paranoia are allowed to replace rational thinking and tolerance.
The book gives accounts from survivors, attempts to explain the motives of the persecutors, and tries to provide a context—if any can be found—for the level of brutality that occurred. To any unbiased reader, the accounts of betrayals, tortures, and massacres will be shocking, yet sadly similar to other mass killings that have taken place around the globe.
During this time, the town’s citizens, spurred on by a corrupt Muslim clergy and government, launched several waves of bloodshed against the Babis—and later Bahais—who lived there. This type of persecution continues today in present-day Iran toward the Bahai's—on a more subtle level—and the history of the Babi and Bahai Faiths in Nayriz serves as a reminder of what can happen when religious fanaticism and paranoia are allowed to replace rational thinking and tolerance.
The book gives accounts from survivors, attempts to explain the motives of the persecutors, and tries to provide a context—if any can be found—for the level of brutality that occurred. To any unbiased reader, the accounts of betrayals, tortures, and massacres will be shocking, yet sadly similar to other mass killings that have taken place around the globe.
352 pages, Paperback
First published May 1, 2013
8 people are currently reading
28 people want to read
About the author
Hussein Ahdieh
32 books4 followersDr. Hussein Ahdieh was born and raised in Nayriz, Iran, He is a sixth generation Bahá'í, his ancestors figuring among the first in Nayriz to accept the Bábi and later Bahá'í Faith. Hussein immigrated to the United States as a young man. Like many immigrants seeking a better life in America, he worked and attended college in the New York area. Hussein eventually completed a Masters Degree in European Intellectual History and a Doctorate in Education from the University of Massachusetts.
Dr. Ahdieh has had a distinguished career in education in New York. His proudest achievement is to contribute to the establishment of Harlem Preparatory School -a world renowned charter high school for disadvantaged students as its Assistant Headmaster . The school is credited with helping numerous people to rise from poverty to a better life. Dr. Ahdieh also served as Director of Educational Programs at Fordham University.
Hussein has been a resident of New York City for all of his adult life. He served as Treasurer of the Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of the City of New York for many years and several times has represented his area at the U.S. Bahá'í National Convention.
In addition to "Awakening", which have been published in five languages ,Dr. Ahdieh is the author of
1. 'Abdu'l-Bahá in New York, a concise, informative history of 'Abdu'l-Bahá's activities during his visits to the area,
2." A Way Out of No Way,Harlem Prep: Transforming Dropouts into Scholars, 1967-1977" ," 3."The Calling ,Tahirih of Persia and her American contemporaries"
4. "Foreigner, From an Iranian Village to New York City"
for more information ,please visit:
www.Nayriz.org
http://www.awakeningnayriz.org
www.AbdulBahainNewYork.org
Centenary Celebration of the Day of the Covenant,NYC:
https://vimeo.com/55453913
TahirihThePureOne.com
HarlemPrepSchool.com
Reviews of authors books:
http://www.amazon.com/review/R39TVA2S...
Dr. Ahdieh has had a distinguished career in education in New York. His proudest achievement is to contribute to the establishment of Harlem Preparatory School -a world renowned charter high school for disadvantaged students as its Assistant Headmaster . The school is credited with helping numerous people to rise from poverty to a better life. Dr. Ahdieh also served as Director of Educational Programs at Fordham University.
Hussein has been a resident of New York City for all of his adult life. He served as Treasurer of the Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of the City of New York for many years and several times has represented his area at the U.S. Bahá'í National Convention.
In addition to "Awakening", which have been published in five languages ,Dr. Ahdieh is the author of
1. 'Abdu'l-Bahá in New York, a concise, informative history of 'Abdu'l-Bahá's activities during his visits to the area,
2." A Way Out of No Way,Harlem Prep: Transforming Dropouts into Scholars, 1967-1977" ," 3."The Calling ,Tahirih of Persia and her American contemporaries"
4. "Foreigner, From an Iranian Village to New York City"
for more information ,please visit:
www.Nayriz.org
http://www.awakeningnayriz.org
www.AbdulBahainNewYork.org
Centenary Celebration of the Day of the Covenant,NYC:
https://vimeo.com/55453913
TahirihThePureOne.com
HarlemPrepSchool.com
Reviews of authors books:
http://www.amazon.com/review/R39TVA2S...
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
July 24, 2016
Well written, informative and thoroughly researched, this book is a wonderful read, but I would say that it’s really only suited to Baha’is. It is a history of the Baha’is in Nayriz, Iran. They experienced such heart-breaking persecution and suffering. There were many times when I had to put the book down, since it was too painful to read.
January 6, 2017
Awakening--A History of the Bábí and Bahá'í Faiths in Nayriz
by Hussein Ahdieh and Hillary Chapman, Bahá'í Publishing Trust, Wilmette, IL, 2013, 352 pages. Available through US BPT and the Canadian BDS.
reviewed by Anne Pearson in Journal of Bahá'í Studies, vol. 25, no. 3 (2015).
Thanks to the efforts of the Bahá'í International Community, theUnited Nations, and the protests of various national governments, thepersistent egregious violation of the rights of the Bahá'ís of Iran iswell documented and well publicized in the world today. Less well knownto most sympathizers is the long history of the persecution of thefollowers of the new Faith from its inception in the 1840s in what wasthen Qajar Dynasty-ruled Persia. The severity, indeed often barbarity,of the persecution of the Bábίs and later Bahá'ís in the second half ofthe nineteenth century and early twentieth century is a chapter ofreligious history comparable to, for instance, the worst of thepersecution suffered by the early Christians. The period of severepersecution and spiritual ferment in the history of the Bahá'í Faith has been described by Shoghi Effendi as the "Heroic," or "Apostolic Age,"beginning with the Declaration of the Báb in 1844 and ending with thedeath of 'Abdu'l-Bahá in 1921. It is this period that authors HusseinAhdieh and Hillary Chapman examine in their book Awakening--A History of the Bahá'í and Bábί Faiths in Nayrίz.
Specifically, the book focuses on events that took place in the small town of Nayrίz (modern spelling Neyriz), southeast of Shiraz in Iran,in 1850, 1853, and 1909. In each of these years there was a sharp upturn in the persecution of the Bábίs (or by 1909 the Bahá'ís). ... What the well-researched andcopiously referenced book contributes to our knowledge, however, is acareful synthesis of multiple accounts, including those from unpublished memoirs of eyewitnesses and some from verbal testimonies offered bydescendants of survivors (including Ahdieh's own family), within theframework of a historical narrative that follows the lives of Bábίs andBahá'ís from the town of Nayrίz. Among those early believers are suchformidable heroes as Vahίd (Siyyid Yahya-i-Darabi), a prominent clericof the time and an early disciple of the Báb who attracted thousands inPersia, including citizens of Nayrίz, to the new Faith, and who shortlythereafter sacrificed his life in its defense...
Chapter 1 offers an informal portrait of daily life among thepeople in village Persia, presumably what Nayrίz would have been like in the early nineteenth century. As in many other parts of the world, theauthors suggest that culture and religion were not clearly demarcated,and people depended on tradition and the authority of local religiousleaders for guidance. This description sets the backdrop for thesubsequent chapters, which offer in greater detail the story of theBáb's life, His teachings, His execution, the effects of His Revelationon people such as Vahíd (who stands at the center of events described in chapters 3 to 7), the collective punishment of the Bábίs following theattempt on the life of the Shah, the transformation of the Bábίs intoBahá'ís following the declaration of His station by Bahá'u'lláh, and the renewed conflict and persecution of the Bahá'ís in 1909. The book endswith a chapter called "Exodus," divided in sections, giving glimpses ofthe Bahá'í community of Nayrίz,
......for the full text of the review go to:
bahai-studies.ca/awakening-a-history-of-the...-
nayriz/ .
by Hussein Ahdieh and Hillary Chapman, Bahá'í Publishing Trust, Wilmette, IL, 2013, 352 pages. Available through US BPT and the Canadian BDS.
reviewed by Anne Pearson in Journal of Bahá'í Studies, vol. 25, no. 3 (2015).
Thanks to the efforts of the Bahá'í International Community, theUnited Nations, and the protests of various national governments, thepersistent egregious violation of the rights of the Bahá'ís of Iran iswell documented and well publicized in the world today. Less well knownto most sympathizers is the long history of the persecution of thefollowers of the new Faith from its inception in the 1840s in what wasthen Qajar Dynasty-ruled Persia. The severity, indeed often barbarity,of the persecution of the Bábίs and later Bahá'ís in the second half ofthe nineteenth century and early twentieth century is a chapter ofreligious history comparable to, for instance, the worst of thepersecution suffered by the early Christians. The period of severepersecution and spiritual ferment in the history of the Bahá'í Faith has been described by Shoghi Effendi as the "Heroic," or "Apostolic Age,"beginning with the Declaration of the Báb in 1844 and ending with thedeath of 'Abdu'l-Bahá in 1921. It is this period that authors HusseinAhdieh and Hillary Chapman examine in their book Awakening--A History of the Bahá'í and Bábί Faiths in Nayrίz.
Specifically, the book focuses on events that took place in the small town of Nayrίz (modern spelling Neyriz), southeast of Shiraz in Iran,in 1850, 1853, and 1909. In each of these years there was a sharp upturn in the persecution of the Bábίs (or by 1909 the Bahá'ís). ... What the well-researched andcopiously referenced book contributes to our knowledge, however, is acareful synthesis of multiple accounts, including those from unpublished memoirs of eyewitnesses and some from verbal testimonies offered bydescendants of survivors (including Ahdieh's own family), within theframework of a historical narrative that follows the lives of Bábίs andBahá'ís from the town of Nayrίz. Among those early believers are suchformidable heroes as Vahίd (Siyyid Yahya-i-Darabi), a prominent clericof the time and an early disciple of the Báb who attracted thousands inPersia, including citizens of Nayrίz, to the new Faith, and who shortlythereafter sacrificed his life in its defense...
Chapter 1 offers an informal portrait of daily life among thepeople in village Persia, presumably what Nayrίz would have been like in the early nineteenth century. As in many other parts of the world, theauthors suggest that culture and religion were not clearly demarcated,and people depended on tradition and the authority of local religiousleaders for guidance. This description sets the backdrop for thesubsequent chapters, which offer in greater detail the story of theBáb's life, His teachings, His execution, the effects of His Revelationon people such as Vahíd (who stands at the center of events described in chapters 3 to 7), the collective punishment of the Bábίs following theattempt on the life of the Shah, the transformation of the Bábίs intoBahá'ís following the declaration of His station by Bahá'u'lláh, and the renewed conflict and persecution of the Bahá'ís in 1909. The book endswith a chapter called "Exodus," divided in sections, giving glimpses ofthe Bahá'í community of Nayrίz,
......for the full text of the review go to:
bahai-studies.ca/awakening-a-history-of-the...-
nayriz/ .
July 16, 2016
Absolutely wonderful, fascinating history, and beautifully written!
July 8, 2018
Excellent history of Babi/Baha'i Faiths in a certain region in Tehran. Makes one value freedom of religion.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews