Ibn-i-Asdaq

Who is Ibn-i-Asdaq?

Mírzá `Alí-Muḥammad-i-Khurásání, known as Ibn-i-Aṣdaq, was an eminent follower of Bahá'u'lláh, the founder of the Bahá'í Faith. He was appointed a Hand of the Cause and identified as one of the nineteen Apostles of Bahá'u'lláh.

Ibn-i-Asdaq was addressed by Bahá'u'lláh as Shahíd Ibn-i-Shahíd. He was the son of a distinguished martyr of the Bábí movement, and himself requested several times to give his life up for the Bahá'í Cause. The response by Bahá'u'lláh was, "Today, the greatest of all deeds is service to the Cause... This martyrdom is not confined to the destruction of life and the shedding of blood. A person enjoying the bounty of life may yet be recorded a martyr...".

In 1920, Ibn-i-Asdaq and Ahmad Yazdani, brought the Tablet to The Hague from ‘Abdu’l-Bahá to the Central Organisation for Durable Peace in The Hague.

Ironically, Ibn-i-Asdaq lived a long life of service, dying in 1928. He was one of the few Apostles to live into the time of Shoghi Effendi as the Guardian.