The Baha’i Baqeruf

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Bahaismiran:

Seyyed Asadullah Baqeruf and his brothers (Seyyed Nasrullah, Seyyed Reza, Seyyed Muhammad and Agha Mir Alinaqi Baqeruf) who were famous for the quintlet Seyyeds were of the most wealthy and influential Baha’is of Gilan and Tehran cities. Seyyed Nasrullah was the oldest among them “who was one the great rich people in Tehran city As long as he was alive, he sacrificed in the path of the Baha’i faith solved the problems of the Baha’i community.”[1] Ayati explains how Nasrullah Baqeruf was trying to attract the commander in chief Tonekaboni (one of the two great conquerors of the Constitution) but he failed.[2]

     Monsieur B. Nikitin, the Russian consul in Iran in Qajar era writes: “When I resided in Rasht city I have social intercourse with the Baha’i cult and Baqeruf was guiding me.” Explaining his relationships with them, he adds: “I remember that one of the proselytizers of the cult visited me when he was going to Akka and entered into Rasht city.

Some months later, at the beginning of 1914 he returned. He brought a letter for me from Abdul Baha. The chairman of the tribe admired me in the letter. I wasn’t merited for those admirations, of course. For instance, I was called the refuge giver of the wounded-knees and thanked me for raising the banner of justice. I became aware of the teachings of the founder of the cult and other writings.[3]

     Zahirudduleh (the chairman of Okhawwat association) who was accompanied with the king Mozaffaruddin when he travelled abroad (1317 A.H.) and has visited Seyyed Asadullah Baqeruf in Qazvin city criticized the Russian nature of Seyyed Asadullah; because he was Iranian and Seyyed and clergyman, too. However, he had selected a Russian name, Baqeruf. (The Suffix “uf” in Russian is equivalent to "زاده" in Persian. So, it meant BaqerZadeh.) additionally, when Baqeruf was talking to Zahirudduleh, he used Russian equivalent for some things.[4]

     In his diary, Zahirudduleh criticized Seyyed Asadullah Baqeruf: “[When I was in Rasht city]… Mirza Abdullah Khan, the first translator of the Russian consulate in Gilan city came to me. He wasn’t bad apparently. Anyway, he was the servant for the Russians and was working for them for nearly 30 years. He was serving at the Russian consulate. He seemed patriot. On the contrary, when Seyyed Asadullah Baqeruf who was from Iran observed me wearing fur cloak in Qazvin city, he asked me ridiculously: “Whose fur cloak is this? I answered it was mine and was warm for travelling. It is both mattress and blanket for me. He giggled and said: No, sir. These Russian overcoats are better than fur cloaks. When I go to Badkoubeh, I replace the green turban and loose cloak by the Russian hat and fur cloak. After a while, I said you are right.[5]

     Seyyed Asadullah Baqeruf was a person who was first selling eggs. Then he had become millionaire[6]. Baha’is believed that his richness was due to his creed (Baha’i); but Abdul Hussein Ayati who had worked in the office of high road of Anzali to Tehran for a year (headed by Baqeruf)[7] considered the enormous wealth due to the Russian miracles.[8]

     Ayati (ex-Awareh) is the renowned Baha’i proselytizer who later on wrote the book called “Kashful Hiyal” concerning the cult’s seditions. When he was a Baha’i in 1338 A.H. he came to Tehran city to proselytize ordered by Abbas Effendi and invited by Baqeruf.[9] He became the confident and permanent member of the Baha’ism spiritual assembly of Tehran city.[10] He was teaching the Baha’i youth in Baqeruf’s house.[11]

 


[1] Mesbah Hedayat, 476.5: Disputation from Baha’ism history… Ibid, p. 259

[2] Kashful Hiyal, Ayati, Vol. 1, 7th edition, pp. 26-27.

[3] Iran the country where I have known, B. Nikitin, translated by Farahvashi, introduced by Malek Al-Shoara Bahar, Ma’refat Assembly, Tehran, 13

29, pp. 165-167.

[4] Zahirudduleh’s travel book with king Mozaffaruddin to abroad, attempted by Dr. Muhammad Ismail Rezwani, p. 51.

[5] Ibid, pp. 68-69

[6] Kashful Hiyal, Ayati, Vol. 2, 4th edition, p. 38.

[7] Kashful Hiyal, Ayati, Vol. 3, 4th edition, p. 195.

[8] Ibid, Vol. 2, 4th edition, pp. 38-39.

[9] Ibid, Vol. 3, 4th edition, pp. 195.

[10] Ibid, p. 198.

[11] Ibid, p. 196.

 

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