Kázim-i-Samandar

Samandar was born Muhammad Kázim Qazvíní in February 1844 in Qazvin, the eldest surviving son of Shaykh Muhammad Qazvíní.^[1] Shaykh Muhammad was an early Bábí and later accepted the Baháʼí Faith.^[2] His father was bastioned in Qazvín and attained the presence of the Báb who was then imprisoned in Máh-Kú. Later Shaykh Muhammad was entitled Nabil by Baháʼu'lláh. He was named after Siyyid Kázim whom his family had close connections with. His mother was a disciple of Táhirih. Samandar was of a wealthy mercantile family, and Shaykh Muhammad Qazvini had made a success of the business.^[3] From an early age he was a devout Baháʼí, and clearly remembered the days of persecution as a little boy.

Samandar was living in Qazvin when a group of very active Azalis begun disputing Baháʼu'lláh and his claims.^[4] Samandar studied the writings of both Azali and Baháʼu'lláh. He subsequently became a staunch believer in Baháʼu'lláh, and wrote a pamphlet denouncing the Azali's and stating they based their claims on nothing.^[5] The document was read widely, and reduced influence of the Azali's in Qazvin.

Baháʼu'lláh then renamed Muhammad Kázim Qazvíní as Samandar a Persian word meaning phoenix.^[6] Baháʼu'lláh also sent Samandar numerous tablets and prayers in his honour, much of which is still extant. The most famous is perhaps Lawh-i-Fu'ád (tablet of Fuʼád) which was addressed to Samandar. He worked tirelessly teaching the faith in Persia.^[7] He traveled all around Iran teaching people of the Baháʼí Faith and its principles. ʻAbdu'l-Bahá also kept in regular correspondence with him.

He had many children; a mixture of boys and girls of whom all married into prominent Baháʼí families of Persia.^[8] His most famous child is possibly Tarázʼu'lláh Samandarí, a Hand of the Cause of God. In Acre Samandar's daughter Thurayyá Khánum was married to Baháʼu'lláh's younger son Mírzá Ḍíyáʼu'lláh. She later became a covenant breaker devastating Samandar. He made two pilgrimages to ʻAkká to visit Baháʼu'lláh and the Baháʼí holy family (ʻAbdu'l-Bahá, Ásíyih Khánum, Bahíyyih Khánum and Munírih).

Samanadar died February 5, 1918. Shoghi Effendi described him a “flame of the love of God” and identified him as one of the Apostles of Baháʼu'lláh. His memoirs Tárikh-i-Samandar was regularly referred to and seen a source of valuable Baháʼí history. His relatives are known by the surname Samandarí.

• Balyuzi, H.M. (1985). Eminent Baháʼís in the time of Baháʼu'lláh. The Camelot Press Ltd, Southampton. ISBN 0-85398-152-3.