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Clearwater Bahá'í Center Sunday Morning Speaker Series

Topic: Táhirih of Persia – The Fearless Advocate for Women’s Emancipation in 19th-Century Iran

Time: Sept. 06, 2026 11:00 AM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
Every month on the First Sunday, through Dec 6, 2026,
7 occurrence(s)

Speaker ~ Dr. Hussein Ahdieh

Online Presentation ~ Please join via Zoom Link ~
**https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84822177347**

Fátimih Baraghání (1817 - 1852), an influential scholar, poet and theologian of the Bábí faith in Iran. Given the title, Táhirih, she pioneered the emancipation of women in the Middle-East. The title, Táhirih, translates to "The Pure One", given by the Bahá'í Prophet, Bahá'u'lláh.

Since women were not allowed to mix with men in public in ancient Persia (Iran), Táhirih was also responsible for spreading news among the women of Persia about the new Babí Faith that was the predecessor of the Bahá'í Faith. She was a devoted follower of the Báb, the Prophet of the Babí Faith and Herald of the Bahá'í Prophet, Bahá'u'lláh. She was one of the most important teachers of the Faith among women at this time.

Although Táhirih never met the Báb in person because of the restrictions on travel by women, she did communicate with Him, and was designated the 17th of the 18 disciples of the Báb.

Among the new teachings of the Babí and Bahá'í Faiths included that women and men are equal and should have equal opportunities in society; and that women were no longer required to wear the veil in public. When Táhirih unveiled herself in public for the first time in 1848 at the conference of Badasht, men were horrified, and one man even slit his own throat because of his shock and shame for observing an unveiled woman in public.

She was martyred for her teaching activities in 1852 at the age of 35 by a man who was ordered to perform the murder by strangulation.

Her advocacy of women's emancipation in Persia helped spur the women's emancipation movement in the west as well as the east. Over a thousand books have been written about the life and poetry of Táhirih since.

Dr. Ahdieh has written a book called "The Calling" about the life of Táhirih, with a new edition being released later this year, 2026, around August. The publisher is the Association for Bahá'í Studies.

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