Nabil-i-Zarandi, Nabil-i-A‘zam: (d. 1892) Nabil literally means “noble, learned”. Title of Muhammad-i- Zarandi, the author of The Dawn-Breakers. He learned about the Babi Faith at the age of 16 and met Baha’u’llah in 1851. He made several journeys on behalr of Baha’u’llah, was imprisoned in Egypt and is the only person known to have made the two pilgrimages to the House of the Bab in Shiraz and the House of Baha’u’llah in Baghdad in accordance with the rites set out by Baha’u’llah. After the passing of Baha’u’llah, and at the request of 'Abdu'l-Baha, he arranged a Tablet of Visitation from Baha’u’llah’s writings which is now used in the Holy Shrines. Shortly afterwards, overcome with grief, he walked into the sea and drowned.
Nadr-Ibn-i-Harith: An opponent of Prophet Muhammad.
Najaf-‘Ali: One of the 44 survivors of Zanjan who were brought to Tihran and all of them executed save Najaf-'Ali, on whom an officer took pity. But some years later he was arrested again and beheaded. (See God Passes By, p. 178).
Nakhjavani, Mirza 'Ali-Akbar: Member of 'Abdu'l-Baha’s entourage. His son 'Ali Nakhjavani was elected to the Universal House of Justice in 1963.
Napoleon III: Emperor of France from 1852 until 1870. He enjoyed two decades of prosperity until he led his country to defeat in the Franco-Prussian War (1870-71).
Nasiri’d-Din Shah: Shah of Iran, 1848-96. Under his reign the Bab was executed and Baha’u’llah was imprisoned and exiled. Baha’u’llah addressed him in a tablet delivered by Badi', whose torture and death were consequently ordered by the shah. Called the "Prince of Oppressors” by Baha’u’llah, Nasiri'd-Din Shah was assassinated in 1896.
Nebuchadnezzar: King of Babylon. In 599 B.C. he captured Jerusalem, and in 588 B.C. he destroyed the city and removed most of the inhabitants to Chaldaea.
Nimrod: In Muhammadan commentaries represented as the persecutor of Abraham.
Noah: A prophet to whom Muhammadans give the title of the "Prophet of God," see Gen. 6:10 and Qur'an, surihs 11, 71, for an account of his life and of the Flood.
Nutt, Dr. William Frederick: Early American Baha'i active in Chicago who later broke the Covenant.
Ober, Harlan: (1881-1962) Early American Baha'i traveling teacher. He learned of the Faith in 1905 and became a Baha'i in 1906. Shortly afterwards he traveled to India with Hooper Harris in answer to 'Abdu'l-Baha's call for American Baha’is to visit the country. He served on the Executive Board of the Baha'i Temple Unity for a number of years. In 1912, at the suggestion of 'Ahdu'l-Baha, he married Grace Robarts; 'Abdu'l-Baha Himself presided at the ceremony. His friendship with Louis Gregory took him on many teaching trips to the Southern states and he was much in demand as a public speaker. After the passing of his wife in 1938 he remarried and, in 1956, pioneered in Pretoria, South Africa. In 1957 he was appointed a member of the Auxiliary Board for Protection in Africa.
Parsons, Agnes: (1861-1934) Washington DC society matron and early Baha’i. She heard about the Baha’i Faith in 1908 and became a confirmed believer during her pilgrimage to 'Akka in 1910. She was 'Abdu'l-Baha's hostess during His stay in Washington and arranged for Him to visit Dublin, New Hampshire, her summer residence. On her second pilgrimage, in 1920, 'Abdu'l- Baha instructed her to organize the first race amity conference, which she did in 1921, working closely with Louis Gregory.
Parsons, Arthur Jeffrey: (1856-1915) Husband of Agnes Parsons and a librarian at the Library of Congress.
Peary, Admiral Robert Edwin: (1856-1920) American Polar explorer. At his seventh attempt he became the first person to reach the North Pole, on April 6. 1909. He accomplished this by sailing to Cape Sheridan in the Roosevelt then traveling by sled to the Pole.
Pope Pius IX: The pope whose reign from 1846 to 1878 was distinguished for his promulgation of the doctrine of papal infallibility.
Prince Shuja’u’d-Dawlih: A Persian Prince attached to the Embassy in Istanbul during the reign of Sultan 'Abdu'l-'Aziz.
Qarun: A cousin of Moses, who having believed in Moses, turned against Him and with his fellow-rebels was destroyed by the wrath of God. (See Numbers Ch. 16).
Qasim: One of three Babis who together attempted but failed to assassinate the shah of Persia in 1852, leading to a wave of persecution against the Babis and resulting in Baha’u’llah's arrest and imprisonment in Tehran.
Quddus: (d. 1849) Literally ‘Most Holy’: title bestowed by the Bab on Haji Muhammad-‘Aliy-i-Barfuruhi, the last Letter of the Living, who was second only to the Bab in rank. He accompanied the Bab on a pilgrimage to Mecca and attended the Conference of Badasht. He joined the Babis in the fort at Shaykh Tabarsi and afterward was taken to his native town of Barfurush, where he was killed by a mob.
Queen Marie of Romania: (1875-1938) Queen of Romania from 1914 to 1927 and the first monarch to embrace the teachings of the Baha’i Faith. She learned of the Baha’i Faith from Martha Root. Her association with the Baha’i Faith is described in Della A. Marcus, Her Eternal Crown, Queen Marie of Romania and the Baha’i Faith (Oxford: George Ronald, 2000).
Ralston, Wiiam and Georgia: Early California Baha’is. Georgia was a childhood friend of Ella Goodall Cooper and learned of the Faith from her and Helen Goodall around 1910. She traveled with Helen and Ella to New York to see 'Abdu'l-Baha.
Ransom-Kehler, Keith: (d. 1933) A distinguished American Baha’i who traveled to Persia to represent the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha’is of the United States and Canada with a petition requesting the removal of a ban on the entry and circulation of Baha’i literature. She died in Isfahan in Iran on 23 October 1933. (see Baha’i Heroes and Heroines)
Remey, Charles Mason: (1874- 1974) Prominent early Baha'i and traveling teacher, appointed a Hand of the Cause in 1951 but declared a Covenant-breaker in 1960. Remey became a Baha’i in Paris in December 1899 and served the Faith devotedly for many years in various capacities. He was a member of the Executive Board of the Baha'i Temple Unity. In 1909 he and Howard Struven set out on the first round the world Baha’i teaching trip, one of his many journeys to teach the Faith. He was appointed president of the International Baha'i Council in 1951. After the passing of Shoghi Effendi in 1957, he broke the Covenant.
Riday-i-Shirazi, Aqa: Believer exiled with Baha’u’llah to 'Akka. Between Baghdad and Constantinople he and Mirza Mahmud traveled ahead of the party to prepare the food and make arrangements for the comfort of the believers.
Root, Martha: (1872-1939) An American Baha’i known for her unique exertions in the field of international teaching, which carried her around the globe four times over a period of some twenty years. She spoke of the Baha’i Faith to kings, queens, high-ranking government and religious officials, professors, leaders of thought, and other prominent people. An account of her life is presented in M.R Garis, Martha Root, Lioness at the Threshold (Wilmette: Baha’i Publishing Trust, 1983).
Robarts, Grace: (d. 1938) Early American Baha'i teacher whose marriage to Harlan Ober in 1912 was at the suggestion of- 'Abdu'l-Baha. She secured and made ready the various apartments in which 'Abdu'l-Baha stayed during His journey in America. Her nephew, John Robarts, was appointed a Hand of the Cause.
Roosevelt, President Theodore: (1858-19 19) 26th President of the United States, 1901-9.
Ruha Khanum: Third of 'Abdu'l-Baha's four surviving daughters. She married Mirza Jalal, the son of the King of Martyrs. She broke the Covenant in the 1940s.
Ruhiyyih Khanum: (1910-2000) Born Mary Maxwell, also called Ruhiyyih Rabbani; daughter of May Bolles Maxwell and Sutherland Maxwell of Montreal, and wife of Shoghi Effendi Rabbani, the Guardian of the Baha’i Faith. ‘Ruhiyyih’ (meaning "spiritual") is a name given to her by Shoghi Effendi on their marriage. ‘Khaum’ is a Persian title meaning "Lady," "Madame," or "Mrs."
Ruz-bih: A Persian who embraced Christianity and being told a Prophet was about to arise in Arabia journeyed thither and meeting Muhammad at Koba in His flight to Medina recognized His station and became a Muslim.
