The life and death of Iranian feminists of Kurrat Ul-Ayn, who had a rare gift of persuasion

It is easy to imagine how dangerous was the percentage of feminists in Muslim Central Asia two centuries ago. However, even then, was a brave women who is not afraid to preach the ideas of gender equality and has achieved considerable success. One of the few heroines of this movement was There nicknamed Qurrat Ul-ain, who lived in the early nineteenth century in Persia.

History of Qurrat Ul-ain like an Eastern tale, but the reality of the acts of this woman show dozens of witnesses. She was very beautiful, but was fascinated by his pursuers gift of persuasion — many of the arrests this woman ended with the repentance of the jailer, who had joined her.

It is believed that this portrait and the one There

Girls in Persia there was not the slightest prospects in science, but Fatima's father could not resist and gave the girl a good theological education at home. Also she was acquainted with the treasures of Persian literature and taught poetry classes that a daughter of Mullah learned.

But the customs of Islam dictate their terms, and, in spite of everything, the girl was given in marriage at 14 years for cousin. Married, Fatima gave birth to two sons and a daughter, but even the appearance of children has not rescued her to pursue science. She was fascinated by the mystic ideas of Sayyid Kazim Rashti, with whom she entered into a lively correspondence.

Kazim Rösti

It is unknown what Fatima told her husband but he allowed her to go with a group of pilgrims in the Holy Shiite city Kerbela. The family life of a young beauty ended — with her husband after she met only once and then in order to announce the divorce.

Passionate about theology, the woman was eager to meet Rusty, but, unfortunately, only caught the mourning for the old philosopher. He died a few days before arrival to Fatima, but she found a reason to stay in his house under the pretext of comforting the bereaved family.

Very soon the woman began to preach ideas Rusti, calling herself his disciple. She spoke not only to women but also to men, using a special screen. Her fame has spread far beyond the places of Karbala and listen to sermons Fatima people came from very distant places.

Sayyid Ali Muhammad Shirazi known as Bab

At the same time Fatima entered into correspondence with another mystic and philosopher named Sayyid Ali Muhammad Shirazi, who called himself the Bab ("the gate of God"). After some chatting and a few personal encounters Fatima was declared Berezovsky the seventeenth Apostle of eighteen and took the name Tahira ("Clean") that was worn until the end of his life.

The works of a Woman, recorded with his words There, became adherents of babism analogous to the gospel for Christians. The only female Apostle of the new Persian Messiah left the house Rusti and went to preach a new religion to the people. The spiritual name women people added nickname of Qurrat Ul- ' Ayn which means "consolation of the eyes".

Her speech, which spoke of the equality of people and especially women and the men, embarrassed the minds of Muslims, so There repeatedly arrested. One day, on arriving in Baghdad, the preacher was detained by the city watch and taken to the house of a local judge. Charges against Tahiri was very serious — she's been accused of blasphemy and instigating people to revolt.

The house of the Bab in Shiraz, which became a sacred place for babydow (now destroyed)

Imagine these words said a woman travelling in the Muslim countries of the Middle East in the early nineteenth century. Hope for justification at There was not simple.

As arrested was from a noble family, she managed to avoid the stone underground of the bag, carrying out in the East the role of a prison cell. There of Qurrat Ul-ain were kept in the house of the judge and he was fascinated by the beauty, knowledge and wisdom of women.

Baghdad. Photos of the XIX century

The impression given to the arrested high officials, decided her fate. Due to the request of a judge the Sultan ordered to send There from the country, so it doesn't confuse people with your words. Leave in Baghdad it was impossible, as her number of followers of babism growing at an alarming rate. To execute the woman was also reckless — it was immediately declared a Saint and a Martyr, which would cause further trouble to the authorities.

There left Baghdad with 30 students, but not abandoned the idea to draw the inhabitants of the Sultan's capital in babism. The woman went to Khorasan, where he collected his companions of the Bab, and from there with a group of believers went to the city of Kermanshah. There the preacher turned to babism almost everyone including the Governor.I am confident in their abilities, and Qurrat Ul-ain, again went to meet her in the inhospitable Baghdad. To prevent it, one of the Sultan's nobles hired a gang of robbers, that they attacked the preacher and her companions in the desert. Murderers strictly forbidden to touch There and their task was the robbery of the woman and her companions.

The robbers had to Rob their victims to the bone that they lost courage and fled. So they did, but Qurrat Ul-ain't gave his companions to be disappointed — she supported them in their speeches and encourage further journey. In the first village woman and her travelers had provided all that was needed to continue the mission.

The house in Qazvin, where the family lived, Qurrat Ul-ain

Along the way, the preacher looked to his native Qazvin to announce to her husband about the divorce. This news infuriated as a spouse, and their common relatives. The woman and her companions were persecuted — one of the adherents were executed, and several were arrested under false pretexts.

Very There saved her faithful ally of Baha'u'llah, he secretly took it out of the Qazvin and they went together to Tehran. The petition of residents of Baghdad to the new faith was thwarted, but this did not bother the Bishop was waiting for her in many other places in Iraq and Iran.

Together with bahá'u'lláh, Qurrat Ul-ain, arrived in Tehran, where just at that time held the Congress babydow. There she delivered a fiery speech about the equality of rich and poor, and women and men. Then more cautious followers were shocked by the revelations of the woman-Apostle.

There claimed that men can only have one wife. Also of her speeches was that women have an equal right with men to learn to trade and engage in politics. And most importantly — women don't have to hide from prying eyes in the rear rooms of the house, and to hide his face.

In Persia times There group of girls on the street can only look so

Her opponents immediately sent to Baba message, which alerted the teacher that his follower preaches the equality of women. To their great surprise, the founder of a new faith, confirmed that his seventeenth of the Apostle is the essence of his teachings.

Camp babydow split into two parts — some fully supported the woman, others accused her of a criminal violation of the secular foundations. Enemies have achieved from the authorities of the official ban on performances There in front of men, but she bravely came out at the height of debates among theologians in the garden of bahá'u'lláh.

The phenomenon of Kurrat Ul-Ayn doubly impressed those present, as she not only broke a severe ban and appeared before many men with an open face. One of the converts babydow was so shocked that slashed himself in the throat with a dagger and only the intervention of others prevented him to bring suicide to the end. Realizing that the die is not turned, the man in horror has escaped from the garden.

Most babydow in the garden and considered himself defiled by such an act, women and this case fell out There and bahá'u'lláh with other believers. Therefore, accompanied by only a few loyal people had to flee from Tehran, while the news of the event reached the ears of the Almighty spiritual authorities.

But in the next town, where the fugitives decided to spend the night, they were arrested and placed in the mayor's house. The news of the arrival of Qurrat Ul- ' Ayn quickly spread through the countryside and soon the house started to gather people who wanted to hear her sermon. Among them were the poor, and members of the ruling dynasty. Honor among There visit was the Princess of the kajar, cousin of the Shah.

The Persian Shah nasireddin

The mayor and his family quickly gained respect for the woman and she felt she was under arrest the guest of honor. Having heard about There the Shah Nasreddin wished to personally see the beautiful and intelligent preacher of babism. Brought her to his Palace, where the ruler and Kurrat Ul-Ayn had a long conversation.

Shah was the only one in Persia a man to whom women were allowed to open the face and There have used this rule. Young Nasreddin was amazed at how the mind is combined in the companion to the incredible beauty and seemed embarrassed.After returning under arrest There received from the Shah a letter, where he offered her to become one of his wives, but to return to Islam. The woman on the same day returned the letter to Nasreddin, writing on its reverse side the following words:

In 1852 babidi, of persecution throughout Persia, raised a revolt, which was brutally suppressed. Thousands of babydow was arrested and then executed without trial. Came the soldiers of the Shah and Qurrat Ul-ain. They were strictly ordered not to face the woman and not to listen to her speeches — fears that There again captivate their opponents were quite groundless.

The house where he spent his last hours There

The soldiers took the woman to police headquarters, where she began to beat up. Seeing that Qurrat Ul-ain't feel the slightest fear and does not intend to back down from their views, the police strangled with her own scarf in the courtyard.

Accidental witness of the death There was an Austrian physician Jakob Eduard Polak, who was in Persia at the invitation of the Shah. Later, the witness said that the death of Qurrat Ul-ain was long and painful, but she did not show weakness of spirit even for a moment.

After killing the woman, police burned her belongings, according to some information, the corpse. Judging by the fact that about the body There there is no mention, it may be true. The authorities did not want the followers of Qurrat Ul-ain was her grave, where they could perform the pilgrimage.

Death There has become so important event that it is October 13, 1852, reported the Times newspaper. If you believe the information provided by journalists, in his last words character expressed the belief that the liberation of women around the world is inevitable.