The Mystery in the City of Tihrán3

Bahá’u’lláh’s Siblings

As was customary in those days, Mírzá Buzurg had several wives: seven wives in total.

The second wife of Mírzá Buzurg, was Khadíjih Khánum

, who had been married once before and was widowed. She had one son and two daughters from her first marriage. With Mírzá Buzurg, Khadíjih Khánum had five children:

the first born was a daughter [Sárih];
the second was a son [Mihdí] who died during his father’s lifetime;
the third was Husayn ‘Alí [Bahá’u’lláh];
the fourth was a son Músá [Áqáy-i-Kalím, who became a faithful follower of Bahá’u’lláh]; and
the fifth was a daughter [Nisá].

Besides these four full siblings, Bahá’u’lláh had many half-siblings whose relationship to Bahá’u’lláh varied in their adult lives. Of the half-siblings, only one [Muhammad-Qulí

whose mother was Mírzá Buzurg’s sixth wife] became a faithful follower of Bahá’u’lláh. Most of the other half-siblings either kept neutral or avoided getting involved with Bahá’u’lláh. The exceptions were Mírzá Taqí

, whose mother was Mírzá Buzurg’s third wife; and Mírzá Yahyá

, whose mother was Mírzá Buzurg’s fourth wife. Both of these half-brothers actively opposed Bahá’u’lláh, and Mírzá Yahyá went so far as to poison Bahá’u’lláh.

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