The Rise of Baha
1. Baha’s Date of Birth
1.3 Haji Mirza Husayn Ali (Baha)
Before he embraced the Bahai faith, Avareh had heard from elderly Moslems that “Haji” Mirza Husayn or “Haji” Mirza Husayn Ali of Nur [i.e. Baha] had laid claim to Godhead.
Avareh’s attention was riveted on the word “Haji”. Upon embracing the faith, Avareh noticed that there was no mention of the title “Haji” for Baha. When, before his recantation, he began to write the history of the Bahai faith entitled the Kawakib-al-Durriyya, Avareh probed into the question of “Hajji” and to his surprise, he found out that Baha was born not in the month of Muharram but in the month of Zil Hijja. Baby boys born in Zil Hijja were given the title of “Hajji” by way of meriting or attaining a blessing. This fact accounted for Baha’s being called “Hajji” which was completely suppressed for obvious reasons:
By shifting his date of birth from Zil Hijja to Muharram, Baha’s date of birth came near to that of Primal Point’s and both anniversaries could be celebrated together in the month of Muharram. To quote Baha “in the eyes of God both these dated [i.e. the Point’s and Baha’s dates of birth] are reckoned as one day.” Avareh gives Baha full marks for the ingenious manipulation of his date of birth.
Upon investigation among Iranians, acquainted with Mirza Buzurg’s family, Awara was told by a well-informed person, on the authority of Subh-i-Azal’s and Baha’s half-brother Mirza Rida-Quli, that Baha was born in the month of Dhil-Hijja A.H. 1232 (12 October-10 November, 1817).
Muharram is the first month of the Moslem year, and Dhil-Hajja the last month, in which the pilgrimage must be performed. Children born in Dhil-Hijja are given the title of ‘Haji’ by way of meriting or acquiring a blessing. For this reason Baha was called ‘Haji’. Awara is of the opinion that Baha’s date of birth is “cooked.”
According to Sir Abbas Effendi, he was born on “Jamad Awwal 5, A.H. 1260 (May 23, 1844) the date of the declaration of the BÁB.
According to Mirza Jawad in his historical Epitome, materials, P. 62, Sir Abbas Effendi was born in the year 1257 A.H. (1841).
The Bayanis who have rejected Baha’s pretensions hold that Sir Abbas Effendi’s fictitious date of birth, and its association with the Point’s declaration day, has desecrated the latter.
Ta’ziyas are the reproductions of the activities and misfortunes of the Imams, etc., held during the month of Muharram, and specially during the first ten days of thereof by the Shias.
Ketman or Taqiya, the word applied specially to the concealment of religious opinions dictated by prudential motives, may account for the manipulation of Baha’s date of birth to enable his followers to celebrate unnoticed and undisturbed the anniversary of his birthday in Muharram, side by side with the anniversary of the Point’s birthday, which falls on Muharram 1, according to him.
To read more about Baha's members of family, got to the main page, select 'Bahaism -> THe Rise of Baha' and navigate through the index.