Origins & Early Life

ʻAbdu'l-Bahá (; Persian: عبد البهاء, IPA: [ʔæbdolbæhɒːʔ];, 23 May 1844 – 28 November 1921), born ʻAbbás (Persian: عباس, IPA: [ʔæbːɒːs]), was the eldest son of Baháʼu'lláh, founder of the Bahá’í Faith, who designated him to be his successor and head of the Baháʼí Faith from 1892 until 1921. ʻAbdu'l-Bahá was later cited as the last of three "central figures" of the religion, along with Baháʼu'lláh and the Báb, and his writings and authenticated talks are regarded as sources of Baháʼí sacred literature. He was born in Tehran to an aristocratic family. At the age of eight, his father was imprisoned during a government crackdown on the Bábí Faith and the family's possessions were looted, leaving them in virtual poverty.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

His father was exiled from their native Iran, and the family established their residence in Baghdad in Iraq, where they stayed for ten years. They were later called by the Ottoman state to Istanbul before entering another period of confinement in Edirne and finally the prison-city of ʻAkká (Acre). ʻAbdu'l-Bahá remained a prisoner there until the Young Turk Revolution freed him in 1908 at the age of 64. He then made several journeys to the West to spread the Baháʼí message...

Enduring Legacy & Impact

The historical impact and works continue to influence the modern world.

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• Anatole France — Contemporary (Born in 1844) (1844): Master French writer, poet, and journalist celebrated for irony and style.
• Bertel Thorvaldsen — Contemporary (Died in 1844) (1844): Master sculptor of Neoclassicism, famed for monumental works across Europe.
• Carl Benz — Contemporary (Born in 1844) (1844): Pioneering German engineer, recognized as the 'father of the automobile'.
• Akio Morita — Contemporary (Born in 1921) (1921): Visionary Japanese entrepreneur and co-founder of Sony.
• Alex Haley — Contemporary (Born in 1921) (1921): Pioneering author of 'Roots,' who brought Black American genealogy to global prominence.
• Alexander Dubček — Contemporary (Born in 1921) (1921): Slovak statesman known for leading the Prague Spring and advocating 'Socialism with a human face'.
• Augustin-Louis Cauchy — Shared historical date (05-23 · Died) (1857): Pioneered real and complex analysis, fundamentally shaping modern mathematics.
• Carl Linnaeus — Shared historical date (05-23 · Born) (1707): Father of modern taxonomy, systematized the naming of life forms.
• Adria Petty — Shared historical date (11-28 · Born) (1974): American director, editor, and artist known for music video work with Beyoncé.
• Alan Lightman — Shared historical date (11-28 · Born) (1948): Physicist, writer, and social entrepreneur exploring science's intersection with humanities.
• 1844 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1844
• May 23 (05-23) On This Day — Historical birthdays and events on May 23
• 1921 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1921
• November 28 (11-28) On This Day — Historical events and memorials on November 28