The Dawn Breakers: Nabil's Narrative

by Nabil-i-A'zam, Shoghi Effendi (translator)

The Dawn Breakers is the most comprehensive and authoritative eyewitness account of the beginnings of the Baha'i era. A reprint of the 1932 original, and full of wonderful features, this book is a necessity for any serious scholar of Baha'i history. If you desire fullest details, then read this sourcebook on the dramatic events which inaugurated the promised dawn, foretold in all the Sacred Scriptures. Central is the Figure of the Blessed Bab, '...matchless in His meekness, imperturbable in His serenity, magnetic in His utterance...', as it documents the tragic and triumphal events, fueled by a visionary and sacrificial heroism which He alone inspired. Words and events were related first hand, Nabil-i-Azam by many eye-witnesses and participants in this Divinely inspired and short-lived period, which cleaved the clouds of entrenched tradition, and prepared nothing less than the long awaited dawning of the Ancient of Days.

Genres: Baha I, History, Religion, Nonfiction, Spirituality, Iran

685 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1962

About the author

Mullá Muḥammad-i-Zarandí (29 July 1831 – 1892), more commonly known as Nabíl-i-A`ẓam (Persian: نبيل أعظم‎ "the Great Nabíl") or Nabíl-i-Zarandí (Persian: نبيل زرندي‎ "Nabíl of Zarand"), was an eminent Bahá'í historian during the time of Bahá'u'lláh, and one of the nineteen Apostles of Bahá'u'lláh. He is most famous for authoring The Dawn-breakers, which stands out as one of the most important and extensive accounts of the ministry of the Báb.

He learned about the Bábí Faith at the age of 16 and met Bahá'u'lláh in 1851. He made several journeys on behalf of Bahá'u'lláh, was imprisoned in Egypt and is the only person known to have made the two pilgrimages to the House of the Báb in Shíráz and the House of Bahá'u'lláh in Baghdád in accordance with the rites set out by Bahá'u'lláh. After the passing of Bahá'u'lláh, and at the request of `Abdu'l-Bahá, he arranged a Tablet of Visitation from Bahá'u'lláh's writings which is now used in the Holy Shrines. Shortly afterwards, overcome with grief, he walked into the sea and drowned.

Reviews

[Shab]

How do you rate a book like this? Compared to what?
For me is a five star book, but then, how many star shall I give to Iqán (the book of Certitude) ? 10 stars?
I gave had a very hard time with the rating of the books!

[Deanna ✰ ☾ · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book over the course of a year during my time in the Baha'i Holy Land. With its combination of lengthiness, complexities, and awe-inducing scenarios I was left dumbstruck by the time I had completed it. I am so thankful that this book was written during the early years of the Baha'i Faith, capturing many an important aspect of Baha'i history. Without it, the true events of the beginning years of the Faith may have become obscured over time, and leave us destitute. I give this book 5 stars not only for explaining in perfect detail such historical evidence of the Bab and Baha'u'llah as I have never come across as of yet, but also for the impact it has already had on the Faith and the essentiality of it in the many years to come.

[Eduardo Rioseco · Rating 5 out of 5]

No puedo ofrecer un comentario objetivo sobre este libro. En los últimos quince años lo he leído unas seis o siete veces y cada lectura me reconfigura de pies a cabeza.

[Melody Rose · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is interesting to note as well that Shoghi Effendi encouraged the believers to study the Dawn-Breakers, which he described as an “unfailing instrument to allay distress.”

- Universal House of Justice to an individual believer, 23 October 1994

[Daniel Zonneveld · Rating 5 out of 5]

Meu filho ganhou um nome devido ao que há neste livro...

[Artin Hekmat · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent Book

[Caitlin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not my first time attempting to read The Dawn-Breakers, but my first time finishing The Dawn-Breakers. Glad I did. Much easier to do when you've got a group of fellow readers to help keep you accountable. This is a huge volume and there's a lot to take in. Would love to reread in the future.

[Melody Salehi · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Dawn Breakers is a narrative of the early days of the Baha’i revolutions. This book is about different stories that happened in the 19th century in Iran until 1863. This book is made of small stories about The B`abis and The Baha’i history and how it became what it is now. The main characters are the historical hero’s in the Baha’i faith which are: Shaykh Ahmad and Sayyid Kazim Rashti, the B`ab, the Letters of the Living, among which are Mull`a Husayn, Qudd`us, T`ahirih and further Dayy`an, Hujjat and Baha’u’llah.
One of the main characters Mull`a Husayn was one of the first people who was the one who found The B`ab. He searched all over Iran traveled a long way to find the B`ab. When he did find the B`ab, He did not tell Mull`a Husayn that He was the one Mull`a Husayn has been searching for, The B`ab invited him into His house and they talked for a whole day, than was when he realized that he has found who he was looking for. This is only one of the main characters in this book, there are so many and all of them ran into many problems throughout their missions for example, one of the problems Mull`a Husayn ran into was everywhere he went he couldn’t find The B`ab and no one knew who he was and where he was living but he never gave up and looked in every single city in Iran. All of them were hero’s in their own way and my favorite character was T`ahirih, she was the first woman who removed her Hijab in front of everyone. She is my favorite character because she was so brave and stood up for herself as a woman and basically said why can’t we be equal.
I cannot relate to any moment in this book or any characters because the hardship they went through I can’t even imagine going through it for even one second. I can only feel the same and not even as extreme but a little bit of what they went through with dealing with the Islamic people and how they tortured them. Now it’s not as bad but still continues in Iran, they treat all the Baha’is the same but less extreme than before.
I love this book, I’ve read it more than 10 times. I don’t have a favorite part because I really love this whole book and love every moment of the stories that are being told. The Author did a great job and what makes this book more powerful and more understanding is that Nabil was present at some events that he wrote about he was mostly there when everything that he said was happening and the ones he wasn’t there was read and corrected by the characters that were in the story.
I would recommend this book to whoever that likes history and knowing about other religions and people who like to read big words and long words that no one understands. Also people who like non-Fiction. Mostly history teachers or whoever is really interested in history would really like this book.

[Gayle · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the history of the Babi and Baha'i Faiths. The Bab being one of the Twin Manifestations, and Baha'u'llah being The One foretold by all the prophets of God and the latest Manifestation. It is thoroughly researched and has been written down from the Declaration of the Bab and the martyrdom of His followers in Iran to the Declaration of Baha'u'llah and His imprisonment all His life for bringing a world religion that teaches unity, love, truthfulness, equality of men and women, education for all, a world language, and so much more.

[Will Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

The writing is a little dated, but the details of the early days of the Baha'i Revelation are clearly narrated. Well worth the time. Nnot an overnight read though. I've read it a couple of times and find that this time I am finding new perspectives and facts that I missed or glossed over the first couple of time I read it.

[Mikey Pietrzak · Rating 5 out of 5]

this was worth it. what a noble inspiring account of the early days of the Faith!

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely vital reading in being a Bahá'í!