For the story of Mullá ‘Alí Ján and his wife ‘Alavíyyih Khánum and their work in the village of Máhfurúzak of Mazandaran province see Bahá'í Chronicles and Alavíyyih Khánum and Mullá 'Alí by Mehraeen Mottahedin-Mavaddat and Moojan Momen.

Their school was a precursor for the Tabbiyat School system that started in Tehran in 1898 and operated until 1934. These schools were distinctive for their approach, integrating moral and academic education while emphasizing the principle of equality between women and men. Dr. Yazdani noted various examples of how these schools were progressive in their approaches: “Physical punishment in schools… was ordinary at that time, …but Bahá’í schools did not do that. And then, co-ed schools were almost non-existent. For some time, wherever possible, they were co-ed schools.”

‘Abdul-Bahá was directly involved in the promotion of agricultural activity in Iran. The efforts drew inspiration from the Bahá’í teachings, which emphasize the role of the farmer as “the first active agent in human society.” He encouraged the Bahá’ís of Iran to begin cultivating tea, so that the country would not need to rely so heavily on imported tea. “He very clearly wanted the Bahá’ís of Iran to do their best for the betterment of the country in every aspect,” she noted.

Noteworthy also are the innovative efforts of the Bahá’ís related to public health matters and hygiene initiatives. These endeavours not only attended to the immediate material needs of individuals, but introduced ideas that were novel at that time, such as installing showers in traditional Iranian bath houses. Previously, these places had been sources of infection and disease, because the water would not be changed frequently. In contrast to other bath houses, the new, clean bath houses founded by Bahá’ís were open to everyone, irrespective of denomination—an initiative that benefitted all members of society. Other examples of the provision of health services were the Sehat Hospital and the Misaghieh Hospital, both established in Tehran.

The principle of the equality of women and men has challenged prevailing social norms. She gave an example of the capability of women in both private and public spheres. “From very early on, Bahá’ís have applied the principle of the equality of rights for men and women to their private, social, and administrative lives. The rights that women have, for example, in marriage, are all based on the equality of women and men.”

Another contribution of the Bahá’í community was to introduce the practice of consultation and collective decision-making. In spite of the difficulties for the Bahá'ís in modern day Iran due to the relentless persecution, they continue to serve the needs of their society with constructive resilience, a term often used by the Universal House of Justice to describe stalwart spirit of the Bahá'ís of Iran in the face of the unjust situation. [BWNS1756]

At about this time, there erupted in Iran a general persecution of the Baha'is that affected most of the country, in particular Tehran, Yazd, Isfahan, Sabzivar, Fars and Rasht. With the approval of Bahá'u'lláh the Bahá'ís began to settle in Ishqabad.

In about 1884, the first four Baha'is to settle permanently in Ashkhabad arrived there. Two of these arrived from Sabzivar, Aqa 'Abdu'r-Rasul Yazdi and Aqa Muhammad Rida Arbab Isfahani. On 3 April 1884, two other Bahá'ís arrived, Ustad `Ali Akbar and Ustad Muhammad Rida, both builders from Yazd. [The Baha'i Community Of Ashkhabad; Its Social Basis And Importance In Baha'i History by Mojan Momen p281-282]

The Bahá'í community of Ishqabad, because of the continuous influx of pioneers from Iran (most from Yazd), soon grew to the point of saturation resulting in the friends choosing to pioneer to other parts of Turkestan. They first settled in larger cities, such as Marv, Chardzhou, Bukhara, Samarkand, Tashkent and later when to smaller places. Soon there were Bahá'ís all over Turkestand, from Tashkent to the far corners of the Caspian Sea [YS pg.xvi]

Originally, Fáṭimih Bagum did not accept her Son's cause unlike her brother, however she kept an open mind. She was devastated on hearing the news of the treatment of her Son, and after His martyrdom her family kept it a secret from her for nearly a whole year. After hearing the news, the distraught Fáṭimih Bagum moved to Karbilá with her closest companions in December of 1851. She did not become a believer until some time later when Bahá'u'lláh instructed two of His faithful followers, Hájí Siyyid Javád-i-Karbilá'í and the wife of Hájí 'Abdu'l-Majíd-i-Shírázi to instruct her in the principles of the Faith

In 1862 he had been appointed physician to the diplomatic delegation sent to Persia to establish relations between the newly created Kingdom of Italy and the Persian government. There in Tabriz, Lessona met Daud Khan, who told him about the new Revelation. He met often with Gobineau, who had then become the French Ambassador to Persia and the two became lifelong friends. Most of Lessona's information on the Bábi Faith came from these two sources, especially the latter. He found it difficult to get any first-hand information about the Babis, but did recognize, in 1962, that the successor to the Báb was living in Baghdad.

Lessona organized two-part conference on the Bábi movement that was held in December of 1880. The following year he published the proceedings of the conference in a small monograph called I Bábi. It was the first Italian historical testimony on the Bábí - Bahá'í Faith. [Bahá'í Tributes; Bahá'í Teachings; BW12p900]

In 1879 Britain and France agree to take joint control of Egypt's administration, know as "Dual Control" with Britain often controlling the more influential positions. This measure was taken partially our of fear that there would be a complete collapse of Egypt's government and financial system. This imposition dual control faced opposition from many Egyptians who perceived it as foreign interference in their country's affairs. This period contributed to the rise of nationalist sentiments in Egypt and calls for greater Egyptian autonomy and independence from foreign control.

Dual control lasted until 1882 when British forces effectively took control of Egypt during the Urabi Revolt, further solidifying British dominance in the country. Egypt was technically still part of the Ottoman Empire at this time, but in reality, it became a British protectorate, leading to a prolonged period of British influence over Egyptian affairs. [Wikipedia]

Four Bahá'ís were arrested in Sarvistán, Fárs, and sent to Shíráz where they are bastinadoed. [BW18:383]

Included in the Tablet of Ishraqát is a quotation from a Tablet Bahá'u'lláh had earlier revealed in honour of Haji Muhammad-Ibrahim concerning some of the Islamic prophecies about the Day of God. He explains to Jalil-i-Khu'i that

These are verses We sent down previously, and We have sent them unto thee, that thou mayest be acquainted with what their lying tongues have spoken, when God came unto them with might and sovereignty. [TB117-120]

The passage on Trustworthiness in the Tablet of Ishraqát is also found in the Tablet of Tarazat and in a Tablet addressed to Haji Mirza Buzurg-i-Afnan (and perhaps in other Tablets as well). [TBp121-122] This is the passage in which Bahá'u'lláh states:

One day of days We repaired unto Our Green Island.

In a Tablet addressed to Haji Amin, Bahá'u'lláh indicates that a "Tablet of Trustworthiness" had been revealed in A.H. 1296 (around 1879). [RoB4p16-17] The date of the revelation of the Tablet of Tarazat was Dhi'l-Hajjih 1305 (approximately 1888). - Bahá'u'lláh responds to Jalil-i-Khu'i's question concerning "interest and profit on gold and silver" by quoting from a Tablet that had been previously revealed in honour of Zaynu'l-Muqarrabin.[TB132-133] In a commentary on the Tablet written on behalf of the Universal House of Justice it was written, "We have not, so far, been able to determine the date on which this Tablet was revealed." [Ishraqát, Tablet of, Date of Revelation]

She said that when Husayn passed away, Bahá'u'lláh wrote the following:

"The knowledge of the reason why your sweet baby has been called back is in the mind of God, and will be manifested in His own time. To the prophets of God the present and the future are as one." [CH90]

Note that The Bahá'í Encyclopedia Project dates his passing 1874-1875.

As usury was forbidden under Islam, the traditional money lenders in Iran were the Jewish sarrafs, who continued to dominate the field after the establishment of the Imperial Bank due to greater loan flexibility and cultural ties. At the time the only form of money in circulation was gold and silver coins.

In 1890 a similar Russian bank known as the Loan and Discount Bank of Persia was founded. The Anglo-Russian Convention of 1907 split Iran into a Russian and British sphere of influence. It assigned to the Russian Loan and Discount Bank the revenues from the amortization of Persian debts in northern Iran, and the same for the British Imperial Bank in southern Iran.

Bank Melli, an Iranian-controlled central bank, was established in 1928. [Colonialism, Nationalism and Jewish Immigration to Palestine: Abdu'l-Baha's Viewpoints Regarding the Middle East by Kamran Ekbal p3; Wikipedia]

"In the city of 'Ishqábád the newly established Shí'ah community, envious of the rising prestige of the followers of Bahá'u'lláh who were living in their midst, instigated two ruffians to assault the seventy-year old Hájí Muhammad-Ridáy-i-Isfáhání, whom, in broad day and in the midst of the bazaar, they stabbed in no less than thirty-two places, exposing his liver, lacerating his stomach and tearing open his breast. A military court dispatched by the Czar to 'Ishqábád established, after prolonged investigation, the guilt of the Shí'ahs, sentencing two to death and banishing six others - a sentence which neither Násir'd-Dín Sháh, nor the 'ulamás of Tihrán, of Mashad and of Tabríz, who were appealed to, could mitigate, but which the representatives of the aggrieved community, through their magnanimous intercession which greatly surprised the Russian authorities, succeeded in having commuted to a lighter punishment." [GPB202-203]