July 1847: The Báb arrives at the prison fortress of MahKu

Haji Mirza Aqasi [The Persian Priminister] finally persuaded Muhammad Shah, to send the Báb to a remote fortress called Mahku.

According to one historian, the king had been suffering from illness for some time. The Báb had promised to heal him if He were permitted to come to Tihran. Haji Mirza Aqasi feared that if the Báb should bring about such a cure, the king would no longer be under his thumb.[Nabil, The Dawn-Breakers, p. 232, footnote]

He induced the king to write to the Báb as follows: "Much as we desire to meet you, we find ourselves unable, in view of our immediate departure from our capital, to receive you befittingly in Tihran. We have signified our desire that you be conducted to Mahku."[Nabil, The Dawn-Breakers, pp. 230-231]

The Báb had written earlier to the king asking for an audience with him. He had requested permission to come to the capital so that before the king and all the religious leaders of the land, He might present the proofs of His Mission. He agreed to leave the decision of its truth or falsehood entirely in the hands of the king. He said that He would accept the judgement of the king as final; and in case of failure, was ready to sacrifice His head.[Comte de Gobineau, Les Religions et Philosophies dans l’Asie Centrale, p. 124]

July 1848: The chief painter of Urumiyyih’s Governor renders the Báb’s only portrait from life

After the Báb had been imprisoned for three months in fortress Chihriq, during which time the Bábis flooded the nearby tiny Kurdish community, Prime Minister Aqasi ordered Him to Tabriz to stand trial on charges of heresy. It was July when He was conducted to the town of Urumiyyih, the reputed birthplace of Zoroaster, on the huge salt lake of that name. It was a city slowly recovering from the wounds of the great earthquake of 1840. There He was respectfully welcomed by the Governor, Prince Malik Qasim, who accepted Him in his home as a guest, then took the opportunity to test the powers of this reputed great new Teacher of so commanding a spiritual presence. The Báb's spontaneous winning of a particularly fractious and hostile horse given Him for His ride to the public bath evoked the enthusiasm of all and the conversion of many as His fame spread like wildfire throughout the region. Here, too, the Governor's chief painter, Aqa-Bala Big, rendered His only portrait from life. [The original of the Báb's portrait is now held in the Ihternational Baha'i Archives in Haifa] (David Ruhe, The Robe of Light, p. 98)

July 1898: Parents of future Hand of the Cause Leroy Ioas become Baha'is in Chicago

Charles and Maria Ioas were born in Germany, on 23 March 1859 and 6 December 1865 respectively. Both acquired professions in the United States, Charles as a lawyer and certified public accountant, Maria as a photographer. They were living in Chicago in 1890’s. Charles had been born a Lutheran, Maria a Catholic, but in the United States both joined a Methodist church and "were continually seeking something else to satisfy their spiritual needs." Neither of them investigated any of America's "new" religions, for as Maria put it, "'My husband never cared for, as he called them, "isms" and cults ... .''' But the Ioases were interested in the subject of Christ's return, Charles having been told by his mother while yet a child that he would live to see Christ come again.

July 1831: Birth of Mulla Muhammad-i-Zarandi, surnamed Nabil-i-A'zam, an Apostle of Baha’u’llah and the author of the Dawn-Breakers

Mulla Muhammad-i-Zarandi, surnamed Nabil-i-A'zam, was one of Baha’u’llah’s outstanding Apostles who played a great role in the propagation of His Message and the dissemination of His words. He is immortalized by his detailed narratives, a part of which, The Dawn-Breakers, mainly dealing with the story of the Báb, has been translated into English by Shoghi Effendi, the Guardian of the Faith. The other part dealing with the ministry of Bahá'u'lláh remains to be published.

In his early days Nabil was a shepherd. He had a great love of nature and would often spend the night lying on the ground in contemplation of the stars and in solitary communion with his Creator. While following his flock over the fields he would chant the verses of the Qur'án and pray to God that He might enable him to find the truth during this life.

One day in 1847 he overheard two men telling the story of the Báb. His heart was immediately attracted to the new Message and soon afterwards he came in contact with a believer who taught him the Faith. He became an ardent follower of the Báb and, in spite of many obstacles which were placed in his path, remained active in the promotion of His Message.

July 1848: Following the Báb’s instruction, Mulla Husayn raised the Black Standard and marched towards Mazindaran along with two- hundred and two of his fellow Bábís

During the Conference of Badasht Mulla Husayn was in Mashhad, Khurasan, guest of a brother of Muhammad Shah and the Governor-General of Khurasan - where he was treated with courtesy and consideration. After leaving the camp of the Governor-General, he intended to go to Karbila, but a messenger arrived from the Bab with a Tablet which totally changed his plans. In it the Báb had conferred on him a new name, Siyyid 'Ali, had sent him a green turban of His own to wear, and had directed him to go to Mazindaran to aid and support Quddus [who was under house-arrest], with a black standard unfurled and carried before him. This black standard would be that of which the Prophet Muhammad had given tidings: 'Should your eyes behold the Black Standards proceeding from Khurasan, hasten ye towards them, even though ye should have to crawl over the snow, inasmuch as they proclaim the advent of the promised Mihdi, the Vicegerent of God.'