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Religions - The Baha'i Faith Quiz - History 7 - Some Historical Notes (Questions)

When the Báb announced his Message in 1844, it provoked a violent reaction from the Government and the clergy. The Báb’s purpose was peaceful and was no challenge to the state, yet he was imprisoned, and finally executed in 1850. He declared that his religion was to prepare the way for the promised World Teacher (the Promised One of all religions), and soon afterwards, it became apparent that Bahá’u’lláh was this World Teacher. Most of the followers of the Báb accepted Bahá’u’lláh and became known as Bahá’ís. The Muslim clergy in Iran have long regarded Bahá’ís as ‘heretics’, and despite being Iran’s largest religious minority, they are denied any form of protection from persecution. This persecution again intensified following the establishment of the Islamic Republic in 1979.

1. The Bábís held a conference near a village called Badasht in the summer of 1848. The primary purpose was to establish the Bábí Faith as a new religion. How was this achieved?
[ ] The Bábís wrote a letter to the Sháh requesting a meeting with him
[ ] The Bábís decided to have a public debate with the clergy at the next opportunity
[ ] A woman appeared before the assembled Bábís unveiled
[ ] They decided on a new style of cloak and head-dress, so that they would stand out
2. A large number of Bábís were put to death in the six short years from when the Báb declared his mission until he himself was executed. What is the minimum number estimated?
[ ] 500
[ ] 1,000
[ ] 2,000
[ ] 3,000
3. When Bahá’u’lláh was a young man, he was known by another title. What was it?
[ ] Father of the poor
[ ] Lord of the Desert
[ ] Prince of Peace
[ ] Father of Consolation
4. Which European Queen became a Bahá’í in 1926?
[ ] Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands
[ ] Queen Marie of Romania
[ ] Queen Olga of Greece
[ ] Queen Margaret II of Denmark
5. Which Russian philosopher and writer was well informed about the Bahá’í Faith and wrote: ‘Bahá’u’lláh’s teachings... Now present us with the highest and purest form of religious teaching’?
[ ] Nikolai Gogol
[ ] Alexander Pushkin
[ ] Leo Tolstoy
[ ] Fyodor Dostoyevsky
6. Bahá’ís are encouraged to form a ‘local assembly’ when there are 9 or more believers in any locality. In which city was the first local assembly formed in 1899?
[ ] London
[ ] Tehran
[ ] New York
[ ] Paris
7. In May 1925 a Muslim court in Egypt made a significant decision regarding the status of the Bahá’í Faith in Egypt. What was it?
[ ] The Bahá’í Faith was to be banned from that date onwards
[ ] The Bahá’í Faith was pronounced to be a ‘sect’
[ ] The Bahá’í Faith was recognised as an independent religion
[ ] The Bahá’í Faith was declared to be an ‘offshoot’ of Islam
8. Which of the following is among the achievements of the Iranian Bahá'í community in Iran?
[ ] The establishment of one of the first schools for girls
[ ] The establishment of one of the first mixed sex schools
[ ] The establishment of one of the first schools in rural areas
[ ] The establishment of one of the first community schools
9. Which significant Bahá’í property in Iran was demolished by the Revolutionary Guards in September 1979?
[ ] The House of Bahá’u’lláh in Tehran
[ ] The House of Bahá’u’lláh in Takur
[ ] The House of Worship in Tehran
[ ] The House of the Báb in Shiraz
10. How many Bahá’ís were killed in Iran between 1979 and 1988 for upholding their religious beliefs?
[ ] 10
[ ] 54
[ ] 86
[ ] 220

 

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Religions - The Baha'i Faith Quiz - History 7 - Some Historical Notes (Answers)
1. The Bábís held a conference near a village called Badasht in the summer of 1848. The primary purpose was to establish the Bábí Faith as a new religion. How was this achieved?
[ ] The Bábís wrote a letter to the Sháh requesting a meeting with him
[ ] The Bábís decided to have a public debate with the clergy at the next opportunity
[x] A woman appeared before the assembled Bábís unveiled
[ ] They decided on a new style of cloak and head-dress, so that they would stand out
Táhirih, who was one of the Báb’s first disciples, was given the mission to proclaim that the Bábí Faith was a new religion. Until then it was unthinkable for a woman to appear before men without wearing a veil. The removal of her veil was an act that symbolised both the coming of a new religion with new teachings as well as indicating the prominent role that women would play in this new religion.
2. A large number of Bábís were put to death in the six short years from when the Báb declared his mission until he himself was executed. What is the minimum number estimated?
[ ] 500
[ ] 1,000
[ ] 2,000
[x] 3,000
The number may be higher, as not all incidents may have been recorded.
3. When Bahá’u’lláh was a young man, he was known by another title. What was it?
[x] Father of the poor
[ ] Lord of the Desert
[ ] Prince of Peace
[ ] Father of Consolation
Bahá'u'lláh and his wife Navváb championed the cause of the poor and the oppressed in the local area of Nur. No one who turned to them for help was refused. Navváb was known as the “Mother of Consolation”.
4. Which European Queen became a Bahá’í in 1926?
[ ] Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands
[x] Queen Marie of Romania
[ ] Queen Olga of Greece
[ ] Queen Margaret II of Denmark
She was Queen of Romania from 1914 – 1927. She learned of the Faith from the intrepid traveller Martha Root and wrote a public testimony of her Faith in three syndicated articles that appeared in newspapers in the US and Canada.
5. Which Russian philosopher and writer was well informed about the Bahá’í Faith and wrote: ‘Bahá’u’lláh’s teachings... Now present us with the highest and purest form of religious teaching’?
[ ] Nikolai Gogol
[ ] Alexander Pushkin
[x] Leo Tolstoy
[ ] Fyodor Dostoyevsky
Tolstoy was in the process of writing a book about Bahá’u’lláh when he passed away.
6. Bahá’ís are encouraged to form a ‘local assembly’ when there are 9 or more believers in any locality. In which city was the first local assembly formed in 1899?
[ ] London
[x] Tehran
[ ] New York
[ ] Paris
7. In May 1925 a Muslim court in Egypt made a significant decision regarding the status of the Bahá’í Faith in Egypt. What was it?
[ ] The Bahá’í Faith was to be banned from that date onwards
[ ] The Bahá’í Faith was pronounced to be a ‘sect’
[x] The Bahá’í Faith was recognised as an independent religion
[ ] The Bahá’í Faith was declared to be an ‘offshoot’ of Islam
The Court decided that ‘...the Bahá'í religion is a new religion, with an independent platform and laws and institutions peculiar to it…’ This is very different from the Shia view that Bahá'í teachings are heretical.
8. Which of the following is among the achievements of the Iranian Bahá'í community in Iran?
[x] The establishment of one of the first schools for girls
[ ] The establishment of one of the first mixed sex schools
[ ] The establishment of one of the first schools in rural areas
[ ] The establishment of one of the first community schools
In 1911, the Bahá'í community in Iran established one of the earliest schools for girls in the country, demonstrating the great importance of girl child education. Although Bahá'í schools were open to all children and were extremely popular, attracting thousands of students, by 1934 the Iranian Government ruled that all Bahá'í schools should be closed.
9. Which significant Bahá’í property in Iran was demolished by the Revolutionary Guards in September 1979?
[ ] The House of Bahá’u’lláh in Tehran
[ ] The House of Bahá’u’lláh in Takur
[ ] The House of Worship in Tehran
[x] The House of the Báb in Shiraz
This act of desecration was carried out on the holiest place for Bahá’ís in Iran. It caused an international outcry, and appeals to Iranian embassies around the world did not prevent the complete destruction of the building. The site is now a road and public square.
10. How many Bahá’ís were killed in Iran between 1979 and 1988 for upholding their religious beliefs?
[ ] 10
[ ] 54
[ ] 86
[x] 220
The period following the Islamic Revolution in Iran saw an increase in persecution of the Bahá'ís, including many deaths, imprisonment, expulsion from schools and universities and dismissal from employment.