The Great Afnán
Bahá'í Chronicles editors, Bahá'í Chronicles · Read original
When in Bahá'í history
A retelling for children of the account of Mírzá Ḥasan, the great Afnán, in 'Abdu'l-Bahá's Memorials of the Faithful, as given in Bahá'í Chronicles.
Mírzá Ḥasan was a relative of the Báb. The Báb's relatives are called the Afnán, and 'Abdu'l-Bahá calls him "the great Afnán." When he was still a small child he received his share of blessing from the Báb, and he became deeply attached to Him.
Before he was even a teenager he spent his time with learned men and began to study. He thought day and night about deep spiritual questions. He also studied mathematics, geometry and geography, and he knew the ideas of both ancient and modern times.
He was a merchant, but he spent only a short part of each day at his business and most of it in discussion and study. With a few short phrases he could answer questions that puzzled others. 'Abdu'l-Bahá wrote that his speech was brief, "but in itself a kind of miracle."
He had believed in the Báb, but it was in the days of Bahá'u'lláh that his love of God caught fire. He did all he could to spread the Faith, and he became known far and wide for his love for Bahá'u'lláh. After the Báb was martyred, he also had the honor of looking after the Báb's wife.
While the Afnán was still in Persia and longing for Bahá'u'lláh's presence, his son married into Bahá'u'lláh's family. The Afnán was overjoyed. He left Persia and came to be near Bahá'u'lláh. His face was so full of light that even people who were not believers said a heavenly light shone from his forehead.
He settled near the Mansion of Bahjí, close to Bahá'u'lláh. He spent much of his time studying the heavens, and every night he watched the movements of the stars through his telescope. 'Abdu'l-Bahá wrote: "In the neighborhood of Bahá'u'lláh his days were blissful, his nights bright as the first morning in spring."
Then Bahá'u'lláh passed away, and the Afnán's joy turned to grief. He lived on only a little while, weeping and longing for Bahá'u'lláh, and then he died. He is buried in ‘Akká.
This is a retelling for children. For the fuller account, see "Ḥájí Mírzá Ḥasan, the Afnán".
Cite this story
editors, B. C.. *Bahá'í Chronicles*. https://bahaichronicles.org/%e1%b8%a5aji-mirza-%e1%b8%a5asan-the-afnan/
Record yourself reading this story
Recording stays on this device only. Nothing is uploaded.
Related stories
The Great Afnán and His Telescope
‘Abdu’l-Bahá remembers Mírzá Ḥasan, the great Afnán, a learned kinsman of the Báb who settled near Bahjí, studied the stars by night, and did not long survive the passing of Bahá’u’lláh.
Memorial of Shamsu’d-Ḍuḥá
Khurshíd Begum, who was given the title of Shamsu’d-Ḍuḥá, the Morning Sun, was mother-in-law to the King of Martyrs.
The King and the Beloved of Martyrs
As boys, two brothers of Isfahan served the Báb at their father's banquet. Grown into honest, generous merchants, they were put to death in 1879, and Bahá’u’lláh named them the King of Martyrs and the Beloved of Martyrs.
The Generosity of the King and Beloved of the Martyrs
Two brothers of Isfahan who met the Báb as boys and later Bahá’u’lláh in Baghdad became prosperous merchants, renowned for their honesty and for spending their wealth on the poor and on Bahá’u’lláh’s companions.