The Báb announced that the greater Manifestation would take
place after Him and called the Promised One "Him Whom God shall make
manifest," saying that nine years later the reality of His own mission
would become apparent. In His writings He stated that in the ninth year this
expected One would be known; in the ninth year they would attain to all glory
and felicity; in the ninth year they would advance rapidly. Between Bahá'u'lláh
and the Báb there was communication privately. The Báb wrote a letter
containing three hundred and sixty derivatives of the root Baha. The Báb was
martyred in Tabriz; and Bahá'u'lláh, exiled into Iraq in 1852, announced
Himself in Baghdad. For the Persian government had decided that as long as He
remained in Persia the peace of the country would be disturbed; therefore, He
was exiled in the expectation that Persia would become quiet. His banishment,
however, produced the opposite effect. New tumult arose, and the mention of His
greatness and influence spread everywhere throughout the country. The
proclamation of His manifestation and mission was made in Baghdad. He called
His friends together there and spoke to them of God.
- 'Abdu'l-Baha (From a talk by
‘Abdu’l-Baha, 18 April 1912, New York; ‘The Promulgation of Universal Peace:
Talks Delivered by 'Abdu'l-Bahá during His Visit to the United States and
Canada in 1912’)
