Abstract
Following the emergence of the Baháʼí Faith, its leaders and followers actively sought to attract people from various walks of life (or different social groups). Through extensive propaganda and false promises, they succeeded in drawing a number of individuals to their cause. Among them was Abdolhossein Ayati, who embraced the Baháʼí Faith and, for many years, enjoyed the trust and affection of ʻAbdu’l-Bahá. However, after ʻAbdu’l-Bahá’s death, the former Baha’i Ayati began to question the legitimacy of the Baháʼí doctrine. Over time, these doubts solidified into conviction, leading him to renounce the Baháʼí Faith and return to Islam. This article explores the circumstances surrounding Ayati’s conversion to the Baháʼí Faith, the reasons behind his eventual departure, and some of the events that followed his exit from the movement.
-
Birth and Lineage of former Baha’i Ayati
Abdolhossein Ayati, was born on the 8th of Dhu al-Hijjah, 1287 AH (Islamic calendar), in the town of Taft. His father, Hajj Molla Mohammad—widely known as Haji Akhund Tafti—was the spiritual leader of the people of Taft, renowned for his piety and unmatched expertise in Islamic jurisprudence. He was also the sole confidant of the late Grand Ayatollah Haji Mirza Hassan Shirazi (Reyhan, Ayene Daneshavaran, p. 613).
In 1305 AH, at the age of 18, Ayati traveled to the holy cities of Iraq to pursue advanced religious studies, having already completed preliminary education. Shortly after arriving, he received news of his father’s passing and was compelled to return to his homeland. Following his father’s death, from 1313 to 1321 AH, former Bahá’í Ayati served for eight years as the congregational prayer leader and religious authority in his birthplace (ibid, p. 616). He possessed a natural talent for Persian literature and began composing poetry in his youth under the pen name “Zia’I” (Mousavi-Bojnourdi, The Great Islamic Encyclopedia, p.261).
-
Ayati’s Conversion to the Baháʼí Faith
At the age of 33, former Baha’i Ayati was introduced to Baháʼí literature through the influence of Baháʼí agents and met with several Baháʼí missionaries. Before he could formally accept or reject the faith, some of his religious peers accused him of being a Baháʼí. As his life became endangered, he saw no option but to leave his hometown. Upon departing from Taft, the Baháʼís welcomed him with open arms (Morsalvand, Biographies of Iranian Figures and Celebrities, Vol. 1, p. 63).
-
Abdolhossein Ayati’s Status Among the Baháʼís
ʻAbdu’l-Bahá bestowed upon former Bahá’í Ayati the title “Āvāreh” (“Wanderer”), replacing his previous pen name “Zia’i,” which ʻAbdu’l-Bahá found distasteful due to his brother Ziaʼullah’s hostility toward Ayati. In a letter, ʻAbdu’l-Bahá instructed him to adopt “Āvāreh” as his new pen name—a gesture considered a great honor, as both ʻAbdu’l-Bahá and his father were known by that title and frequently wrote, “We, the Wanderers” (Morsalvand, Biographies of Iranian Figures and Celebrities, p. 64).
According to Ayati, more than fifty tablets were issued by ʻAbdu’l-Bahá in Persian and Arabic, all affirming Ayati’s integrity, loyalty, courage, scholarly mastery, and sincerity (Ayati, Kashf al-Hiyal, p. 234).
As an example, ʻAbdu’l-Bahá writes to Ayati in one of his tablets:
“O Wanderer on the path of God, turmoil and disarray in the way of love are themselves joy and delight. Look to the end, for the outcome of this turmoil is unity, and the final destination of this wandering is refuge in the Divine Presence. If you are deprived of a drop, praise be to God—you have an endless ocean before you. And if veiled from a speck, a radiant sun lies ahead. I beseech the Almighty that the utmost of your hopes and aspirations may be fulfilled. Peace and praise be upon you.”
(ʻAbdu’l-Bahá, Makatib (Persian Copy), Vol. 8, p. 8)
In another tablet dated January 9, 1921, ʻAbdu’l-Bahá addresses Abdolhossein Āvāreh as follows:
“O Wanderer of mountains and deserts in the path of the Most Glorious Beauty, and herald of the Covenant and Testament, your letter dated the 9th of Muharram 1340 AH has been received. You wrote that praising oneself is, in your view, a form of abandoning praise. Yet the praise of ʻAbdu’l-Bahá must not be forsaken—it is concise and meaningful, free from verbosity and excess, and it is from ʻAbdu’l-Bahá.”
(Rā’fati, Poems in Baháʼí Writings, Vol. 3, p. 170)
Recognizing Ayati’s scholarly acumen, ʻAbdu’l-Bahá entrusted him with the task of writing a historical work. Between 1918 and 1921, Ayati undertook the research and publication of this book, which he titled Al-Kawākib al-Durriyyah fī Ma’āthir al-Bahāʼiyyah (The Luminous Stars in the Glories of the Baháʼí Faith, p.53).
-
Ayati’s Departure from the Baháʼí Faith
After eighteen years, Ayati came to the conclusion that the Baháʼí Faith was invalid and recognized it as a product of foreign political agendas. He writes:
“During my second journey, I spent three months residing in the neighborhood of their leader, ʻAbdu’l-Bahá Abbas, in Haifa. There, I became fully aware of the religious falsehoods claimed by him and his father. I remained intrigued only by their patriotic rhetoric, peace-promoting slogans, and the philosophy behind their influence in the West, awaiting clarity. After ʻAbdu’l-Bahá’s death, under the leadership of his grandson Shoghi Effendi, I had the opportunity to travel to Europe. That experience further reassured me, confirming that this deception was merely an extension of their religious falsehoods. They had no real influence in the Western world, and the occasional attention they received was the result of betrayal and foreign political schemes—nothing more. Recognizing ʻAbdu’l-Bahá as a traitor to Iran, both in terms of religion and national independence, I severed all emotional ties with them. In doing so, I exposed myself to new hardships and dangers, and turned thousands of devoted Baháʼís into adversaries.”
(Morsalvand, Biographies of Iranian Figures and Celebrities, Vol. 1, p. 63)
After returning to Islam, former Baha’i Ayati authored a book titled Kashf al-Hiyal (“Unveiling the Deceptions”), in which he documented his personal observations and experiences without intermediaries. The book is structured as a dialogue between “former Bahá’í Ayati” and “Āvāreh,” where Ayati poses questions regarding the history of the Baháʼí Faith, the divinity of Baháʼu’lláh, the laws of the Báb and Baháʼu’lláh, the ruling on hijab, the Kitáb-i-Aqdas, the Báb’s repentance letter, and other related topics. Āvāreh responds to each question. In this work, former Baha’i Ayati also presents several reasons for rejecting the Baháʼí Faith and returning to Islam, which are briefly outlined in the following section.
Reasons of former Baha’i Ayati for Leaving the Baháʼí Organization
4-1. Alteration of Al-Kawākib al-Durriyyah by ʻAbdu’l-Bahá
During the publication of Al-Kawākib al-Durriyyah by former Bahá’í Ayati, ʻAbdu’l-Bahá requested a copy and instructed him to make specific changes. He insisted that the content of this book should not differ from that of The Traveler’s Narrative, and that historical blemishes—just as they had been concealed in the latter—should be erased in this work as well. This led former Baha’i Ayati to grow suspicious of ʻAbdu’l-Bahá, and due to the distortions and fabrications introduced into the book, he ultimately deemed Al-Kawākib al-Durriyyah entirely unreliable (Ayati, Kashf al-Hiyal, pp. 235–236).
4-2. Rumor of ʻAbdu’l-Bahá’s Prediction of His Death
Following ʻAbdu’l-Bahá’s death, rumors circulated among Baháʼís claiming that he had foretold his own passing. However, while in Haifa, Ayati learned from ʻAbdu’l-Bahá’s wife, Munírah Khánum, and his sister, Varqá ʻAliyyá, that not only had he made no such prediction, but he was so fearful and anxious about death that such dread was rarely seen in spiritually refined individuals (ibid., p. 236).
4-3. Historical Falsehood in The Traveler’s Narrative
During a trip to Istanbul, Ayati discovered that ʻAbdu’l-Bahá’s claim in The Traveler’s Narrative—that Sultan Abdülaziz had visited Baháʼu’lláh—was historically inaccurate. Based on available records, no such meeting ever took place, and the Ottomans viewed Baháʼu’lláh with disdain rather than reverence (ibid., p. 238).
4-4. Lack of Credibility of Shoghi Effendi
While traveling in London, Ayati investigated Shoghi Effendi’s academic background and found that throughout his studies there, he had indulged in frivolity and misconduct to the extent that he failed to obtain any formal certification or diploma (ibid., p. 240).
4-5. Widespread Deception by ʻAbdu’l-Bahá
During his visit to Egypt, Ayati heard accounts regarding the wavering faith of Mirza Abu’l-Fadl Golpayegani and Mirza Naʻim. He learned that they too had discovered ʻAbdu’l-Bahá’s dishonesty but chose to remain silent due to political considerations. This further motivated former Bahá’í Ayati to publicly express his views on the invalidity of the Baháʼí Faith (ibid., p. 240).
5.The Journey of Former Baha’i Ayati Back to Islam
After completing his book Kashf al-Hiyal (“Unveiling the Deceptions”), former Baha’i Ayati realized that the Baháʼís were determined to prevent its publication by any means—even resorting to assassination. Given his exceptional position and extensive knowledge, they were convinced that any form of opposition from him would deal a serious blow to the Baháʼí Faith. However, Ayati sought refuge with Ayatollah Lankarani, who, through careful measures, ensured his safety and facilitated the publication of the book (ibid., pp. 48–50).
Following Ayati’s return to Islam, Shoghi Effendi labeled him “the rejected, treacherous, envious one” (Tawqi‘āt Mubārakah Addressed to the Friends in the East, p. 28). He also wrote of him:
“The shameless Āvāreh, a base and idle soul, has fallen into the abyss and returned to the lowest depths of perdition—this glowworm who dared to challenge the radiant sun.” (ibid., p. 571)
Thus, Āvāreh was formally excommunicated by Shoghi Effendi, and Baháʼís were strictly forbidden from associating with him.
After the conversion of former Baha’i Ayati to Islam, several Baháʼís—including Sobhi, ʻAbdu’l-Bahá’s personal secretary—also left the Baháʼí Faith due to their interactions with him. In his memoirs, Sobhi recounts:
“During those days, I was at Dr. Saeed Khan’s residence when Āvāreh suddenly appeared. Since it was a safe place, I had long hoped to meet him there and directly ask him questions. I seized the opportunity and engaged in conversation with him. We spoke at length—he shared his grievances and described the harm he had suffered from the Baháʼís. He recounted strange events from his travels to Haifa and Europe, some of which you may have read in his books. Naively and freely, I mentioned this meeting to a few friends. A handful of so-called loyalists exaggerated the matter and reported it to the Spiritual Assembly, claiming that Sobhi was associating with Āvāreh and that this alliance surely had ulterior motives. One night, I was summoned to the Assembly, where they gently advised me, saying: ‘It seems you’ve formed a bond with Āvāreh and are actively opposing the Faith and its followers. You also speak to Baháʼí youth in ways that dampen their spirit and cause them confusion.’”
(Sobhi, Memoirs of Decline and Fall, p. 198)
Eventually, during a trip to Tehran in the Islamic month of Ṣafar 1373 AH (October 1953 CE), Abdolhossein Ayati fell ill and passed away. His body was laid to rest in Qom, in the cemetery of Grand Ayatollah Sheikh Abdulkarim Haʼeri (commonly known as the “New Cemetery”).
