A Father’s Dream

Mirza Abbas Buzurg, Bahá’u’lláh’s father, was a prominent minister of the Persian government. In 1817, in the ancient city of Tehran, his wife Khadijah Khanum gave birth to Bahá’u’lláh; their third child.

One night, when Bahá’u’lláh was still a child, night Mirza Buzurg had a dream. In the dream he saw his son in an ocean – a vast ocean stretching out in every direction. Bahá’u’lláh’s body was aglow – lighting up all around him. His long black hair was floating on the waves in every direction. A vast number of fish began to gather around him, each fish clinging to the end of one of his hairs. Fascinated by Bahá’u’lláh’s glowing face they followed him wherever he swam. The fish did him no harm and not a single hair being detached. Nor could they prevent him swimming wherever he wished.

When he awoke Mirza Buzurg was determined to discover the meaning of so strange and vivid a dream. He summoned a soothsayer – an interpreter of dreams. The man listened to the Minister’s dream reflecting carefully on everything he was told. His interpretation was in words like this.

O Minister, the endless ocean in which you saw your son is the world of creation. Your son will achieve mastery over this world. The multitude of fish are the people of the world and the turmoil that Bahá’u’lláh will generate among them. None will be able to prevent him doing whatever he wishes. Around him the people will gather and to him they will cling. They will be unable to harm him.

For Bahá’u’lláh’s 200th anniversary, the UK Baha’i community has released a short video featuring this dream. It introduces a movie being released for Baha’u’llah’s 200th anniversary celebrations.

Sources: The story of Mirza Buzurg’s dream appears in Chapter 5 of Nabil’s Narrative.

Image Source: Creative Commons attribution image by posted by Suneko on flickr.

(This article is the 102nd in a series of what I hope will be 200 articles in 200 days for the 200th anniversary of the birth of Bahá’u’lláh. The anniversary is being celebrated around the world on 21 and 22 October 2017, The articles are simply my personal reflections on Bahá’u’lláh’s life and work. Any errors or inadequacies in these articles are solely my responsibility.)