1849 July - Aug (Or perhaps later) 184- |
Bahá'u'lláh conceived of a plan, a plan that was endorsed by the Báb, to have the Báb appoint Mírzá Yahyá as the titular head of the Faith. Mírzá Yahyá was concealed and hidden while mention of him was on every tongue. It is speculated that as a further measure to reduce His public profile, Bahá'u'lláh retired to Karbalá via Baghdád for a period of some ten months. [UD631n234; TN37-38; GPB90; RoB1p53-54]
On the subject of the successor to the Báb the Guardian states:
A successor or vicegerent the Báb never named, an
interpreter of His teachings He refrained from
appointing. So transparently clear were His references
to the Promised One, so brief was to be the duration of
His own Dispensation, that neither the one nor the
other was deemed necessary. All He did was, according
to the testimony of 'Abdu'l-Bahá in "A Traveller's
Narrative," to nominate, on the advice of Bahá'u'lláh
and of another disciple, Mírzá Ya˙yá, who would act
solely as a figure-head pending the manifestation of the
Promised One, thus enabling Bahá'u'lláh to promote,
in relative security, the Cause so dear to His heart.
[GPB28—29]
.He has also referred to him as "titular head" and "a mere
figurehead". [GPB90]
See also Mírzá Yahyá Azal, Designation of in the Writings of the Báb written on behalf of the Universal House of Justice and published in Lights of Irfan Vol 8 pp387-391. |
Mírzá Yahya (Subh-i-Azal) |
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