The Martyrdom of the Báb: A Holy Day of reflection

As we approach Tuesday 9 July, we prepare our hearts and minds to commemorate a sacred day in our Bahá'í calendar—the Martyrdom of the Báb. On this holy day, we should suspend all work and school activities for the 24-hour period from sunset on Monday 8 July till sunset on Tuesday 9 July, and hold commemorative gatherings spanning the midday period, to honour the life and sacrifice of the Báb. It was at midday on this day in 1850 when this pivotal Figure in our Faith was martyred.

The sacrifice He made that the Cause of God may flourish, reminds us of the need for each of us as individuals to sacrifice our time, energy and resources that we, too, may assist this Cause to flourish.

“I am the Primal Point from which have been generated all created things. I am the Countenance of God Whose splendour can never be obscured, the Light of God Whose radiance can never fade. ”

— The Báb

The following extract, providing an insight into the Martyrdom of the Báb, is taken from the beautifully designed booklet ‘The Báb - Hearld of the Bahá’í Faith’ created by the National Assembly of New Zealand, for the Bicentenary of His Birth.

The Execution of the Báb

In 1850, Mirza Taqi Khan (Grand Vizier of Nasiri’d-Din Shah) ordered the Báb’s execution. When the guards came to take Him on the day of His execution, 9 July, the Báb told them that no “earthly power” could silence Him until He had finished all that He had to say. Thousands crowded the rooftops that overlooked the barracks square in Tabríz where the Báb was to be executed by a firing squad. In the intense heat of the noonday sun, He was suspended by ropes against a wall of the barracks, along with a young follower. A regiment of 750 soldiers opened fire in three successive volleys. When the smoke and dust of the gunpowder cleared, the Báb had vanished from sight. Only His companion remained, alive and unscathed, standing beside the wall on which they had been suspended. The ropes by which they had been hung alone were severed. After a search, the Báb was found back in His cell, continuing the conversation with His secretary that had been earlier interrupted.

“Now you may proceed to fulfil your intention.” the Báb told His captors. Again, He was brought out for execution. After the first regiment refused to fire, another was assembled and ordered to shoot. This time the bodies of the Báb and His young follower were shattered. A whirlwind of dust engulfed the city, blotting out the light of the sun until nightfall.

In 1909, after being hidden away for more than half a century, the Báb’s remains were finally interred on Mount Carmel in the Holy Land. Today, entombed in an exquisite golden-domed Shrine, encompassed by spectacular terraced gardens and fountains, the Báb rests in conspicuous glory, a symbol of the triumph of the Cause that He heralded over the fiercest of opposition. Throughout the world, millions recognise the Báb as the divinely inspired Herald of the Bahá’í Faith and turn reverently to His Writings to discover the “resplendent Light of God.”

“The substance wherewith God hath created Me is not the clay out of which others have been formed. He hath conferred upon Me that which the worldly-wise can never comprehend, nor the faithful discover.… I am one of the sustaining pillars of the Primal Word of God.”

— The Báb

Bicentenary booklets

Along with the above-mentioned booklet created for the Báb, two companion booklets were created, one for Bahá'u'lláh and one for ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. Each booklet contains uplifting extracts from the Writings along with wonderful images and significant facts. These booklets can serve as a source of inspiration for you or as a teaching resource and can be purchased at the Bahá'í Bookshop for NZ$2 each.