Mírzá Muhammad ʻAlí (Persian: میرزا محمد علی 1853–1937) was one of the sons of Baháʼu'lláh, the founder of the Baháʼí Faith. He was the eldest son of his father's second wife, Fatimih Khanum, later known as Mahd-i-'Ulya, whom Baháʼu'lláh married in Tehran in 1849. Muhammad ʻAlí received the title from his father of G͟husn-i-Akbar ("Greatest Branch" or "Greater Branch").[1][note 1]
Mírzá Muhammad ʻAlí was born on December 16, 1853, in Baghdad during Baháʼu'lláh's first year of exile in that city. In 1863, at the age of nine, he accompanied his family in their exile to Constantinople and Adrianople. During the final days in Adrianople, Mírzá Muhammad ʻAlí wrote about eighty letters to the believers of the Baháʼí Faith, such as those in Baghdad and its surrounding towns. He also asked permission of his father to travel abroad and spread the Baháʼí Faith.[citation needed]
In the Kitáb-i-ʻAhd ("Book of the Covenant"), Baháʼu'lláh appointed ʻAbdu'l-Bahá as his successor,[2] with Muhammad ʻAli given a station "beneath" that of ʻAbdu'l-Bahá.[3] Both were noted explicitly by their titles, with Muhammad Ali being called G͟husn-i-Akbar and ʻAbdu'l-Bahá being called G͟husn-i-Aʻzam. As time passed, Muhammad ʻAlí claimed that ʻAbdu'l-Bahá was not sharing power. According to some interpretations, Muhammad ʻAlí insisted that he should instead be regarded as the leader of the Baháʼís. Many accusations were leveled against each other by both ʻAbdu'l-Bahá and Muhammad ʻAlí, culminating in Muhammad ʻAlí's accusing his older brother of conspiring against the Ottoman government. This resulted in the imprisonment and near-death of ʻAbdu'l-Bahá and his family. Almost all Baháʼís accepted ʻAbdu'l-Bahá as Baháʼu'lláh's successor.[4]
At the time of ʻAbdu'l-Bahá's death, Shoghi Effendi was appointed the Guardian of the Faith by ʻAbdu'l-Bahá in his Will and Testament, while Muhammad ʻAlí was reprimanded in the same document as "The Center of Sedition, the Prime Mover of mischief."[5] Because Baháʼu'lláh's Kitáb-i-ʻAhd named Muhammad ʻAlí as "after" ʻAbdu'l-Bahá's, he took the opportunity of ʻAbdu'l-Bahá's death to try to revive his claim to leadership, but his attempt to occupy the Shrine of Baháʼu'lláh by force left him on the losing end of a legal battle that removed any rights he had to the property.
The division between rival sects with Mírzá Muhammad ʻAlí and Shoghi Effendi as their respective leaders was short-lived and Shoghi Effendi emerged as the leader of the global Baháʼí community, labeling Muhammad ʻAlí the arch-breaker of the Covenant of Baháʼu'lláh.[6] Mírzá Muhammad ʻAlí would lead the small Unitarian Baha'i denomination. In 1904, he sent his oldest son, Shua Ullah Behai, to the United States where he led the Unitarian Baha'i community. From 1934 to 1937, Behai published Behai Quarterly,[7] a "Unitarian" Baháʼí magazine written in English and featuring the writings of Mirza Muhammad ʻAlí and various other Unitarian Bahais, including Ibrahim George Kheiralla.[8] This schism had very little effect overall. In the ʻAkká area, the followers of Muhammad ʻAlí represented six families at most, they had no common religious activities,[8] and were almost wholly assimilated into Muslim society.[9] This group essentially disappeared.[10][11][12] A modern academic observer[clarification needed] has reported an ineffectual attempt to revive the claims of Muhammad Ali.[13]
Mírzá Muhammad ʻAlí succeeds Late ʻAbdu'l-Bahá, Jan 11 1922
Mírzá Muhammad ʻAlí. Detail from a larger photograph, assumed to have been taken in Adrianople in 1868, when ʻAlí was 16.
Death
Mirza Muhammad ʻAlí died on December 10, 1937, in the city of Haifa in the Mandate of Palestine. Memorial services were held at Haifa on Tuesday, January the 18th, 1938.[citation needed]
^The elative is a stage of gradation in Arabic that can be used both for a superlative or a comparative. G͟husn-i-Akbar could mean "Greatest Branch" or "Greater Branch."
^ʻAbdu'l-Bahá (1990) [1901-08]. "Part One". The Will And Testament of ʻAbdu'l-Bahá. Wilmette, Illinois, USA: Baháʼí Publishing Trust. ISBN978-0877433736.
^Cole, Juan R.I.; Quinn, Sholeh; Smith, Peter; Walbridge, John, eds. (July 2004). "Behai Quarterly". Documents on the Shaykhi, Babi and Baha'i Movements. h-net.msu.edu. 08 (2). Retrieved October 15, 2016.
^ abWarburg, Margit (2003). Baháʼí: Studies in Contemporary Religion. Signature Books. p. 64. ISBN1-56085-169-4. Archived from the original on 2013-02-02.
^MacEoin, Denis. "Bahai and Babi Schisms". Encyclopædia Iranica. In Palestine, the followers of Moḥammad-ʿAlī continued as a small group of families opposed to the Bahai leadership in Haifa; they have now been almost wholly re-assimilated into Muslim society.
^MacEoin, Denis. "Bahai and Babi Schisms". Encyclopædia Iranica. Other small groups have broken away from the main body from time to time, but none of these has attracted a sizeable following.
^Smith, Peter (2000). "A Concise Encyclopedia of the Baha'i Faith". A concise encyclopedia of the Baháʼí Faith. Oxford: Oneworld Publications. p. 116. ISBN1-85168-184-1. Quote from source: "After the death of Shoghi Effendi (1957) the only significant oppositional movement was that led by … C. M. Remey…. The movement subsequently splintered…."
^McGlinn, Sen (March 27, 2010). "A Muhammad Ali revival?". Retrieved 2010-04-17.
References
ʻAbdu'l-Bahá (1990) [1901-08]. The Will And Testament of ʻAbdu'l-Bahá. Wilmette, Illinois, USA: Baháʼí Publishing Trust. ISBN978-0877433736.
Adamson, Hugh C. (2009). The A to Z of the Baha'i Faith. Rowman & Littlefield. ISBN978-0810868533.
Baháʼu'lláh (1994) [1873-92]. Tablets of Baháʼu'lláh Revealed After the Kitáb-i-Aqdas. Wilmette, Illinois, USA: Baháʼí Publishing Trust. ISBN0-87743-174-4.
Momen, Moojan (2003). "The Covenant and Covenant-Breaker". bahai-library.com. Retrieved October 13, 2016.
Smith, Peter (2000). "A Concise Encyclopedia of the Baha'i Faith". A concise encyclopedia of the Baháʼí Faith. Oxford: Oneworld Publications. pp. 169–170. ISBN1-85168-184-1.
mírzá, muhammad, ʻalí, persian, میرزا, محمد, علی, 1853, 1937, sons, baháʼu, lláh, founder, baháʼí, faith, eldest, father, second, wife, fatimih, khanum, later, known, mahd, ulya, whom, baháʼu, lláh, married, tehran, 1849, muhammad, ʻalí, received, title, from,. Mirza Muhammad ʻAli Persian میرزا محمد علی 1853 1937 was one of the sons of Bahaʼu llah the founder of the Bahaʼi Faith He was the eldest son of his father s second wife Fatimih Khanum later known as Mahd i Ulya whom Bahaʼu llah married in Tehran in 1849 Muhammad ʻAli received the title from his father of G husn i Akbar Greatest Branch or Greater Branch 1 note 1 Mirza Muhammad ʻAliBornDecember 16 1853BaghdadDied10 December 1937 1937 12 10 aged 83 Haifa Mandatory PalestineChildrenShua Ullah Behai Amin Ullah Bahai Mousa Musa BahaiParentsBahaʼu llah father Fatimih mother Contents 1 Early years 2 Dispute with ʻAbdu l Baha 3 Death 4 See also 5 Notes and citations 6 ReferencesEarly years EditMirza Muhammad ʻAli was born on December 16 1853 in Baghdad during Bahaʼu llah s first year of exile in that city In 1863 at the age of nine he accompanied his family in their exile to Constantinople and Adrianople During the final days in Adrianople Mirza Muhammad ʻAli wrote about eighty letters to the believers of the Bahaʼi Faith such as those in Baghdad and its surrounding towns He also asked permission of his father to travel abroad and spread the Bahaʼi Faith citation needed Dispute with ʻAbdu l Baha EditSome of this article s listed sources may not be reliable Please help this article by looking for better more reliable sources Unreliable citations may be challenged or deleted July 2020 Learn how and when to remove this template message In the Kitab i ʻAhd Book of the Covenant Bahaʼu llah appointed ʻAbdu l Baha as his successor 2 with Muhammad ʻAli given a station beneath that of ʻAbdu l Baha 3 Both were noted explicitly by their titles with Muhammad Ali being called G husn i Akbar and ʻAbdu l Baha being called G husn i Aʻzam As time passed Muhammad ʻAli claimed that ʻAbdu l Baha was not sharing power According to some interpretations Muhammad ʻAli insisted that he should instead be regarded as the leader of the Bahaʼis Many accusations were leveled against each other by both ʻAbdu l Baha and Muhammad ʻAli culminating in Muhammad ʻAli s accusing his older brother of conspiring against the Ottoman government This resulted in the imprisonment and near death of ʻAbdu l Baha and his family Almost all Bahaʼis accepted ʻAbdu l Baha as Bahaʼu llah s successor 4 At the time of ʻAbdu l Baha s death Shoghi Effendi was appointed the Guardian of the Faith by ʻAbdu l Baha in his Will and Testament while Muhammad ʻAli was reprimanded in the same document as The Center of Sedition the Prime Mover of mischief 5 Because Bahaʼu llah s Kitab i ʻAhd named Muhammad ʻAli as after ʻAbdu l Baha s he took the opportunity of ʻAbdu l Baha s death to try to revive his claim to leadership but his attempt to occupy the Shrine of Bahaʼu llah by force left him on the losing end of a legal battle that removed any rights he had to the property The division between rival sects with Mirza Muhammad ʻAli and Shoghi Effendi as their respective leaders was short lived and Shoghi Effendi emerged as the leader of the global Bahaʼi community labeling Muhammad ʻAli the arch breaker of the Covenant of Bahaʼu llah 6 Mirza Muhammad ʻAli would lead the small Unitarian Baha i denomination In 1904 he sent his oldest son Shua Ullah Behai to the United States where he led the Unitarian Baha i community From 1934 to 1937 Behai published Behai Quarterly 7 a Unitarian Bahaʼi magazine written in English and featuring the writings of Mirza Muhammad ʻAli and various other Unitarian Bahais including Ibrahim George Kheiralla 8 This schism had very little effect overall In the ʻAkka area the followers of Muhammad ʻAli represented six families at most they had no common religious activities 8 and were almost wholly assimilated into Muslim society 9 This group essentially disappeared 10 11 12 A modern academic observer clarification needed has reported an ineffectual attempt to revive the claims of Muhammad Ali 13 Mirza Muhammad ʻAli succeeds Late ʻAbdu l Baha Jan 11 1922 Mirza Muhammad ʻAli Detail from a larger photograph assumed to have been taken in Adrianople in 1868 when ʻAli was 16 Death EditMirza Muhammad ʻAli died on December 10 1937 in the city of Haifa in the Mandate of Palestine Memorial services were held at Haifa on Tuesday January the 18th 1938 citation needed See also EditBahaʼu llah s family Covenant breaker Bahaʼi divisionsNotes and citations EditNotes The elative is a stage of gradation in Arabic that can be used both for a superlative or a comparative G husn i Akbar could mean Greatest Branch or Greater Branch Citations Taherzadeh 2000 p 256 Bahaʼu llah 1994 pp 221 222 Bahaʼu llah 1994 Kitab i ʻAhd Taherzadeh 2000 p 44 ʻAbdu l Baha 1990 1901 08 Part One The Will And Testament of ʻAbdu l Baha Wilmette Illinois USA Bahaʼi Publishing Trust ISBN 978 0877433736 Adamson 2009 p 121 Cole Juan R I Quinn Sholeh Smith Peter Walbridge John eds July 2004 Behai Quarterly Documents on the Shaykhi Babi and Baha i Movements h net msu edu 08 2 Retrieved October 15 2016 a b Warburg Margit 2003 Bahaʼi Studies in Contemporary Religion Signature Books p 64 ISBN 1 56085 169 4 Archived from the original on 2013 02 02 MacEoin Denis Bahai and Babi Schisms Encyclopaedia Iranica In Palestine the followers of Moḥammad ʿAli continued as a small group of families opposed to the Bahai leadership in Haifa they have now been almost wholly re assimilated into Muslim society Barrett David 2001 The New Believers London UK Cassell amp Co pp 247 248 ISBN 0 304 35592 5 MacEoin Denis Bahai and Babi Schisms Encyclopaedia Iranica Other small groups have broken away from the main body from time to time but none of these has attracted a sizeable following Smith Peter 2000 A Concise Encyclopedia of the Baha i Faith A concise encyclopedia of the Bahaʼi Faith Oxford Oneworld Publications p 116 ISBN 1 85168 184 1 Quote from source After the death of Shoghi Effendi 1957 the only significant oppositional movement was that led by C M Remey The movement subsequently splintered McGlinn Sen March 27 2010 A Muhammad Ali revival Retrieved 2010 04 17 References EditʻAbdu l Baha 1990 1901 08 The Will And Testament of ʻAbdu l Baha Wilmette Illinois USA Bahaʼi Publishing Trust ISBN 978 0877433736 Adamson Hugh C 2009 The A to Z of the Baha i Faith Rowman amp Littlefield ISBN 978 0810868533 Bahaʼu llah 1994 1873 92 Tablets of Bahaʼu llah Revealed After the Kitab i Aqdas Wilmette Illinois USA Bahaʼi Publishing Trust ISBN 0 87743 174 4 Momen Moojan 2003 The Covenant and Covenant Breaker bahai library com Retrieved October 13 2016 Taherzadeh Adib 2000 The Child of the Covenant Oxford UK George Ronald ISBN 0 85398 439 5 Smith Peter 2000 A Concise Encyclopedia of the Baha i Faith A concise encyclopedia of the Bahaʼi Faith Oxford Oneworld Publications pp 169 170 ISBN 1 85168 184 1 Taherzadeh Adib 1992 The Covenant of Bahaʼu llah Oxford UK George Ronald ISBN 0 85398 344 5 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Mirza Muhammad ʻAli amp oldid 1071274928, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
