Conference of Badasht

The Conference of Badasht was an instrumental meeting of the leading Bábís in June-July 1848 that set in motion the radicalisation of the movement. It was attended by 81 people in total.

Leading figures

The three key individuals had a garden each and were:

• Bahá'u'lláh (who paid for the conference)
• Quddús
• Táhirih

Bahá'u'lláh

The involvement of Bahá'u'lláh varies between sources with Bahá'ís claiming he was instrumental in resolving the difficulties between the two other figures and providing many of the names adopted by the Bábís. He is also said to have revealed a tablet for each of those attending the conference.

Quddús

Quddús came to the conference with the intention of Bábísm being more moderate movement, in effect merely a sect of Islam. His personality clashed with Táhirih who tried to convince him of Bábísm being a religion in itself thus abrogating the Qur'an. She succeeded and he went on to join the Shaykh Tabarsi fortress and die as a martyr.

Táhirih

Táhirih was convinced that the Báb's message abrogated all others and managed to persuade many of the others at the conference. During the conference, at least once, she appeared in public without a veil, heresy within the Islamic world of that day. Several Bábís abandoned the movement and one attempted to take his life by slitting his throat after seeing this.

During the conference

One Islamic law was abrogated during each day of the conference. Plans for securing the Báb's release from captivity may have been discussed.

End of the conference

The conference ended shortly after it was attacked by Muslim villagers from the surrounding regions.

References

• Amanat, Abbas (1989). Resurrection and Renewal. Cornell University Press, New York, USA. ISBN 0-8014-2098-9. 

• Nabíl-i-Zarandí (1932). Shoghi Effendi (Translator). ed. The Dawn-Breakers: Nabíl’s Narrative (Hardcover ed.). Wilmette, Illinois, USA: Bahá'í Publishing Trust. ISBN 0-900125-22-5. http://reference.bahai.org/en/t/nz/DB/. 

• Smith, Peter (1999). A Concise Encyclopedia of the Bahá'í Faith. Oxford, UK: Oneworld Publications. ISBN 1-85168-184-1.