The Forerunner of the Faith was Mirza 'Ali-Muhammad of Shiraz, known as the Bab (The Gate) Who proclaimed on May 23, 1844, His twofold mission as an independent Manifestation of God and Herald of One greater than Himself, Who would inaugurate a new and unprecedented era in the religious history of mankind. On His early life, His sufferings, the heroism of His disciples, and the circumstances of His tragic martyrdom I need not dwell . . .

The Founder of the Faith was Baha'u'llah (Glory of God), Whose advent the Bab had foretold. He declared His mission in 1863 while an exile in Baghdad. He subsequently formulated the principles of that new and divine civilization which by His advent He claimed to have inaugurated. He too was bitterly opposed, was stripped of His property and rights, was exiled to Iraq, to Constantinople and Adrianople, and was eventually incarcerated in the penal colony of 'Akka [Acre] where He passed away in 1892 in His seventy-fifth year.

The authorized Interpreter and Exemplar of Baha'u'llah teachings was His eldest son 'Abdu'l-Baha (Servant of Baha), who was appointed by his Father as the Center to whom all Baha'is should turn for instruction and guidance. 'Abdu'l-Baha ever since his childhood was the closest companion of his Father, and shared all His sorrows and sufferings. He remained a prisoner until 1908, when the old regime in Turkey was overthrown and all religious and political prisoners throughout the empire were liberated. After that he continued to make his home in Palestine but undertook extensive teaching tours in Egypt, Europe and America, being ceaselessly engaged in explaining and exemplifying the principles of his Father's Faith and in inspiring and directing the activities of his friends and followers throughout the world. He passed away in 1921 in Haifa, Palestine

This account is taken from the writings of Shoghi Effendi, Guardian and Head of the international Baha'i community from 1921 - 1957, and great-grandson of the Baha'i Prophet-Founder Baha'u'llah.