Is Báb’s Grave Located in Haifa Israel?

Bahá’ís believe that the grave of `Ali Muhammad Shirázi, known as The Báb, is located in the city of Haifa in Israel near the Carmel mount area; they call this place as the shrine of Báb.

However when we carefully consider the evidence of Bábis or Azalis we realize that this belief is baseless.

1. Believers of the Bayán Book (Bayánis) believe that Siyyid `Ali Muhammad Báb’s and Muhammad `Ali Zonouzi’s bodies were buried in Tehran’s Imám-zádeh Ma’sum and know his (Báb) place of pilgrimage places.

Prof. Edward Browne in his book “A Year Amongst the Persians” writes:

They were saved by the devotion of Suleymán Khán and a few other believers, who, whether by force, bribes, or the influence of powerful friends, succeeded in obtaining possession of them. They were wrapped in white silk, placed in one coffin, and sent to Teherán, where, by order of Mirzá Yahyá Subh-i-Azal (“the Morning of Eternity,” who, though but twenty years of age, had been chosen to succeed the Báb), they were deposited in a little shrine called Imám-zádeh-i-Ma’sum, which stands by the Hamadán road not far from Ribát-Karim.

2. The scribe of Báb was Seyyed Hossein Katib, addressing a letter to his friend Haji Suleymán Khán while he was sending the corpse of Báb from Tabriz to Tehran:

I beg that affection of genealogy which, as long as you are in the land of Bahá, whenever was destined visiting of your lord please mention this devotee prayer who are distance and any time revealed you the verses of sky of Azal, please inform me enclosing in your book (secretly). I have sent the throne of God the greatest by the name of God the present the patient.

Letter of Seyyed Hossein Katib to Haji Suleymán Khán

Comment of the letter

This tablet is a Bábi evidence which was written by scribe Seyyed Hossein in the year 1268 AD, when the body of Báb was being sent from Tabriz to Haji Suleymán Khán. It is very important and historic and is mainly written in Persian.

Therefore, it should be said that Subh-i-Azal has resided in Tehran while this letter was written. And the scribe writes “I have sent the throne of God the greatest (Báb’s body) by carrier to Tehran” which shows that Báb’s body was moved to Tehran and his corpse did not become the prey of animals.

3. The official site of Bayán has announced the current Báb’s grave:

The Throne of the first point in his will by command of Subh-i-Azal was buried in Imám-zádeh Ma’sum in Tehran. Muslim historians do not believe that and Bahái historians are unanimous that the throne of first point has been stolen from this place to `Akká but the followers of Bayán believe in the aforementioned place (Imám-zádeh Ma’sum).

Mirza Ali Muhammad (Báb)

Both Bábis and Azalis have mentioned the delivery of Báb’s body to Subh-i-Azal in their writings. They also mentioned that Bahá’u\'lláh was not aware of burial place of Báb; although Baháis in Amri Educational pamphlet No. 14 page 4 claim that Báb’s body was depositioned to Bahá’u\'lláh and he buried him in Imám-zádeh Ma’sum. They believe that, according to `Abdu’l-Bahá’s order, it was taken to `Akká in the year 1316 A.D and buried in Haifa after 50 years.

The question here is that why his funeral was held after 50 years in Israel?

It seems that Bábis or Azalis documents are stronger than Baháis:

1. Because of Báb will in which Subh-i-Azal was mentioned as Báb’s successor and Báb should be buried upon his order;
2. The scribe of Báb did not mention Bahá’u\'lláh in his letter.

Bábis know the old place in Imám-zádeh Ma’sum as the shrine of Báb and because of its holiness, some of the great Bábis and Baháis were buried there, such as ‘Izziyya Khanum (Bábi sister of Subh-i-Azal and Bahá’u\'lláh), and among great Baháis like Mulla Ali Akbar Shahmirzadi, Mirza Naeem Sedehi.

Therefore this place is holy for Bábis.

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