MIRZA, Husain All Nutt Persian reli gious reformer: b. Mazadran, Persia, 12 Nov. 1817; d. Aldca, 28 May 1892. He was of noble family, joined the Bahai movement in 1850 and was imprisoned during the fierce political and religious persecutions which the sect suffered shortly after. the death of Mirza Ali Moham med. (See BAHAISM). His prope. .y was confiscated and he himself, with his family, was banished from Persia to Bagdad (Turkey) in 1852. Many Bahais followed him, most of them fleeing from the fierce persecution at home. Mirza Ali organized these into a com pact,. well-governed and self-sustaining com munity which soon became wonderfully pros perous, growing steadily in wealth and numbers. He was early looked upon as the great leader foretold by the founder of the faith; and new adherents came from all over Asia to study under him or to join the colony in Bagdad. This prosperity of the colony and the popularity of Mirza Ali, the 'Bab" (gate or door), ex cited the jealousy of the Persian government and church, and the prophet and the whole colony were extradited and brought back to Constantinople. During the exodus, Mirza Ali proclaimed himself the expected prophet and took the name of "Baha'o'llah" (the Glory of God), by which designation he has ever since been known among his followers (1864). As the Bahai movement continued to grow with great rapidity in Constantinople, Mirza Ali was banished to Adrianople. Thousands of the
faithful followed him there and he was re moved to Akka (Palestine), a Turkish penal settlement, with 70 of his most active disciples (1868). 'They were all subject to the most rigorous imprisonment and treated with great harshness for seven years. At the expiration of this time the Bahais were allowed to form settlements in the town of Akka. To these settlements came people of all sects and creeds, and the penal colony became the centre of an intense religious movement which pro claimed the brotherhood of man, the unity of the race and the identity of all true spiritual aims and thought. There Mirza Ali remained from 1868 to 1892, writing his doctrinal books, working out plans for the government of the society and studying moral, social, political and economical questions and applying the lessons thus learned to the illustration of the gospel of the unity of mankind, of religion, of society and of government. He boldly attacked the problems of the day and attempted to solve them through the application of his own reli gious views. Among the works of Mirza Ali are 'The Hidden Words' ; 'The Most Holy Book> ; 'The Book of Certainty) and The Seven Valleys.' See BAHAISM ; ABDUL BAHA.