The Devotion of the Báb's Youth

*A retelling based on chapter 2, "The Báb: The Forerunner," of **Bahá'u'lláh and the New Era** by J. E. Esslemont, an early introduction to the Bahá'í Faith first published in 1923. Words in quotation marks are from that book.*

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Esslemont's account of the Báb's early life is brief. The Báb, whose name was Mírzá 'Alí Muḥammad, was born in Shíráz, in the south of Persia, on 20 October 1819. He later took the title of Báb, which means Gate. He was a Siyyid, a descendant of the Prophet Muḥammad.

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His father, a well-known merchant, died soon after His birth, and a maternal uncle, a merchant of Shíráz, brought Him up. As a child He learned to read and received the elementary education usual for children. At fifteen He went into business, first with His guardian and afterwards with another uncle who lived in Búshihr, on the Persian Gulf.

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Esslemont then describes Him in His youth: "As a youth He was noted for great personal beauty and charm of manner, and also for exceptional piety, and nobility of character." He was "unfailing in His observance of the prayers, fasts and other ordinances" of Islam, "and not only obeyed the letter, but lived in the spirit of the Prophet's teachings."

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He married when He was about twenty-two. In His twenty-fifth year He declared His mission.

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*This is a retelling. For the fuller account, see **Bahá'u'lláh and the New Era** by J. E. Esslemont.*

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