Nabíl-i-Aʻzam

Mullá Muḥammad-i-Zarandí (29 July 1831 – 1892), more commonly known as Nabíl-i-Aʻẓam (Persian: نبيل أعظم "the Great Nabíl"[1]) or Nabíl-i-Zarandí (Persian: نبيل زرندي "Nabíl of Zarand"), was an eminent Baháʼí historian during the time of Baháʼu'lláh, and one of the nineteen Apostles of Baháʼu'lláh.

He took up residence in Tehran in the same madrisih as the transcriber of the Báb's writings; there he also met many Bábís who lived in or were travelling through the town, including Baháʼu'lláh.

[4] In 1852 there was an attempt on the life of Naser al-Din Shah Qajar, which was followed by the persecution of the Bábí community.

During this time, Nabíl put forward a claim to leadership of the Bábí community stating that he had received divine inspiration.

[4] On his second attempt to enter the prison city he was able to stay 81 days, meeting Mírzá Áqá Ján and then Baháʼu'lláh.

Overwhelmed with Baháʼu'lláh's death, he drowned himself in the sea and his dead body was found washed ashore near the city of ʻAkká.