Munírih Khánum
From Bahaikipedia
| Munírih Khánum | |
 Munírih Khánum, (Persian: منیره خانم)
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| Born | Fátimih Nahrí June-July? 1848 Isfahan, Persia |
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| Died | April 28, 1938 (aged 90) Haifa, Israel |
| Title(s) | Holy Mother |
| Religion | Bahá’í Faith |
| Spouse(s) | Mírzá Kázim Nahrí (1868) (not consummated) ‘Abdu’l-Bahá (1873-1921) |
| Children | Ḍiyá'iyyih Khánum, Túbá Khánum, Munavvar Khánum, Rúhá Khánum (amongst others) |
| Parents | Mírzá Muhammad `Alíy-i-Nahrí |
Holy Mother Munírih Khánum (1848 - April 28, 1938) was the wife of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, eldest son of Bahá’u’lláh and Ásíyih Khánum. She is the grandmother of Shoghi Effendi.
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[edit] Early Life
Born Fátimih Nahrí, but called Fátimih Khánum (Persian: فاطمه خانم), she was born while her father and uncle, Mírzá Hádíy-i-Nahrí, where present at the Conference of Badasht which roughly puts her birthdate between June and July of 1848. Fátimih Khánum's birthdate has sometimes been incorrectly said to be 1846-7 however, her birth was clearly stated as occuring during the Conference of Badasht (1848). Her father was Mírzá Muhammad `Alíy-i-Nahrí. He had been married before, but had no children. The Báb, gave her father some sweets that he ate, and Mírzá Muhammad `Alíy-i-Nahrí saved some for his wife and gave it to her. Eight months and nine days later she was born. Fátimih spent her childhood and early youth in Isfahan. In her youth, Fátimih Khánum was considered a suitable match for marriage to Bahá’í families throughout Iran.
‘Abdu’l-Bahá, aged twenty-four, was betrothed to his cousin, the very pretty and young Shahr-Bánu (Persian:شهربانو). This was from when ‘Abdu’l-Bahá was around only ten. In Persia, and also Europe, betrothals where made during infancy. When the time came for His marriage Bahá’u’lláh summond Shahr-Bánu to come to Adrianople to wed her handsome cousin. Perhaps fortunately for all concerned, Bahá’u’lláh's sister Shah Khanum (Khánum Buzurg), decided to create chaos and forced Shahr-Bánu to cancel the engagment and marry one of the Vizer's son's. Grief stricken by this, she died of consumption shortly therafter. The same time in Iran...
Fátimih Khánum was to marry. After the death of her father, her family arranged that she should marry Mirza Kazim a cousin, which was a very popular thing to do in that time, who was also a brother of the King and Beloved of Martyrs (Núrayn-i-Nayyirayn) who had been horrifically martyred in Isfahan. Fátimih didn't want to marry him, however she reluctantly agreed to the marriage. Amazingly, during the wedding party Mirza Kazim,who was in perfect health, avoided his bride, fell ill straight after the wedding party and died shortly after. Widowed at twenty, Fátimih went into recluse, prayed and meditated, asking God for guidance.
[edit] Marriage to the Mystery of God
In 1872, Bahá’u’lláh and Ásíyih Khánum expressed interest in the beautiful Fátimih to marry ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. The Desire of the world says that He had a dream and Shahr-Bánu's face was fading away and that another beautiful girl appeared. Certain that "liminuous" girl was Fátimih, her aunt travalled to Isfahan and told Fátimih of the glad-tidings. In her memoirs, she writes " Far be it, For I am not worthy of such bounty!". She then traveled to ‘Akká, a journey which took her around 6 months. While on her journey she stayed with Khadíjih-Bagum in Shiráz, the wife of the Báb for a while too. The trip in Shiráz greatly delighted Fátimih. As requsted by Bahá’u’lláh, her and her brother (Yahyá) made a pilgrimage to Mecca.
Once arriving in ‘Akká, Fátimih was bestowed with the new name of "Munírih" (Persian: منیره )meaning "Illumined" from Bahá’u’lláh. The wedding had been postponed for a while due to the lack of a room. Munírih Khánum married ‘Abdu’l-Bahá on 8 March 1873 in the House of ‘Abbúd. Munírih Khánum was twenty-five, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá was twenty-eight. Speaking of her marriage, Holy Mother said; "At the wedding there was no cake, only cups of tea; there were no decorations, and no choir, but the blessing of Jamál-i-Mubarak*; the glory and beauty of love and happiness were beyond and above all luxury and ceremony and circumstance." This marriage, although arranged, was an extremly happy and long one, and the couple seldom were seperated from one another apart from ‘Abdu’l-Bahá's travels.
They had 9 children together; Ḥusayn Effendi (d. 1305/1887, aged five), Mihdí (died aged two-and-a-half), Ṭúbá, Fu'ádiyyih, and Ruḥangíz (the favorite grandchild of the Blessed Perfection, she died in the same year as Him). Munírih Khánum says; "Five of my children died in the poisonous climate of ‘Akká." Four daughters survived to adulthood; Ḍiyá'iyyih (mother of Shoghi Effendi) (d. 1951) Túbá Khánum (1880-1959) Rúḥá and Munavvar (d. 1971). Lady Blomfield described Munírih Khánum as; "She has a most beautiful voice, and her eyes are large, dark, still, with a serenity in their depths that holiness alone can give." and "She is a majestic woman, stately yet simple, with an innate dignity and strength of character."
[edit] Family Life and Ascension
Munírih Khánum spent most of her life devoted to piety and the Holy Family. She was very close to her sister-in-law Bahíyyih Khánum. Holy Mother wrote many letters to the freinds, encouraging them to include women in Bahá’í activities and understanding equality of sexes. She stayed faithful to her grandson Shoghi Effendi around the time of great Covenant Breaking until her passing a year after his marriage to Rúhiyyih Khánum at the age of nintey. Also, it was not until her passing that the relatives of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá's own household turned covenant breakers, first with her grandson and soon all her relatives save Shoghi Effendi. Munírih Khánum ascended on April 28, 1938 and her resting place is in the Monument Gardens at the World Centre.
| “ | If I had to write the details of the fifty years of my association with the Beloved of the World of His love, mercy and bounty I would need fifty years more of time and opportunity to write it | ” |
| “ | In His Name, the Glory of the Most Glorious! O Divine Providence! Thou seest and art a witness that all my limbs, my members, my heart, my soul, and my conscience bear testimony to the inexhaustible bounties which Thou hast showered upon this unworthy handmaiden at the Threshold from the beginning of her life | ” |
Jamál-i-Mubarak is the Persian term for Blessed Beauty*
[edit] References
- "Munirih Khánum". Wikipedia (2008-07-19). Retrieved on 2008-07-19.
- Episodes in the Life of Munirih Khanum
- The Chosen Highway, by Sitárih Khánum
- Bahai Encyclopedia
- Revelation of Bahá’u’lláh by Adib Taherzadeh
- Bahá’u’lláh, King of Glory, by Balyuzi
