Certain rare souls are gifted beyond all normal human measure, for God has chosen them to be the mirrors of his perfections, the bearers of his signs. These special beings are formative not only within their epoch. They are historic singularities, whose lives and teachings illuminate a path that will be travelled for centuries by millions. Thus God creates a portal and a pathway for us to understand him, revealing his will and his intentions through the lives of his prophets and their teachings.

Most great religions have one founder-prophet, but the Bahá’í Faith is an exception. Two years ago in 2017 this worldwide community celebrated the second centenary of the birth of its founder, Bahá’u’lláh (1817 – 1892). God’s latest messenger to humanity appeared at a crucial moment in history. Never was the world more in need of unity, peace, justice, equality and hope than now. Never was a long-awaited announcement more relevant and timely.

But such a great announcement, foretold by all the world’s major faiths, required the preparation of hearts and minds. The path had to be made clear for those who would choose to follow it. That task fell to Bahá’u’lláhs precursor and herold, `Alí Muhammad Shírází, known as the Báb (or Gate), revered by Bahá’ís as an independent manifestation of God and revealer of his teachings. This year marks the double centenary of the birth of the Báb in 1819, for as he himself attested: “I am two years younger than my Lord.”

The Báb was born to a merchant family in the city of Shíráz in southern Persia (modern Iran), at a time when that country was just beginning to engage with western ideas, yet was still steeped in superstition and hampered in its advancement by a powerful and deeply traditional clergy. Sadly, the boy’s father died when he was still quite young, leaving him to the care of his maternal uncle, a textile merchant, who trained the youth to his profession.

At elementary school, young `Alí Muhammad startled his tutor with his lively intelligence and deep understanding. Seeing that his learning far surpassed that of his elders, he was considered un-teachable and sent home. But there are lamps so bright they cannot be concealed. The boy’s precocity in Arabic and Persian, his astonishing talent for calligraphic writing and his ability to perceive the essentials of any argument and resolve the thorniest dispute, all coupled with his natural grace, radiant manner, humility and quiet confidence brought him the respect of all who met him. His family soon came to realize that he was destined for something higher than a merchant life.

In 1844, a portentous meeting with a young theology student at the city gate of Shíráz was to utterly transform the life of that student, and project the quiet and diligent young merchant into a limelight not of his own, but of his creator’s choosing. Within a few turbulent years, the Báb and his followers would overturn the tired old dogmas of the clergy and set the entire nation on its head. The Báb himself would be imprisoned ever further away from the centers of influence in an attempt to control the storm that his announcement of God’s imminent kingdom had unleashed.

All to no avail, for with each removal, his sweet and gentle nature worked miracles upon his jailers who would even intercede for his release. Thus the fire of his followers’ love grew stronger, while the storm outside grew louder. Tens of thousands of his disciples would be slowly and gruesomely put to death, before the executioners, with orders from the highest in the land, finally came for the Báb himself and ended that beautiful, exemplary life in spectacular and ominous manner in the barrack square of Tabriz.

But all that is another story, indeed, many other stories. Our purpose here is to rightly rejoice at the birth of Siyyid `Alí Muhammad Shírází, herald and prophet, whose role it was to leaven the dough, prepare the ground, make straight the way for the remaking of humanity and the eventual birth of a truly just and truly global civilization. The Bahá’í Community of Belgium invites you to celebrate with us the bicentenary of the birth of the Báb.