The Trumpet Blast

Religious prophecies throughout history have converged on a common expectation-the advent of a world redeemer who will fulfill the ultimate destiny of humankind. This book is written to illuminate the station of Táhirih-a leading heroine of the Bábí movement-as the Trumpeter of the Day of Resurrection and the Remover of the Veil from the advent of the Promised One. Based in part on an in-depth analysis of the symbolic meaning of the "veil" in Táhirih discourse, new evidence provided by her previously unpublished poetry, and the writings of the central figures of the Faith for which she sacrificed her life, this book seeks to demonstrate that Táhirih's significance in human history goes far beyond the popularized image of her as a woman who broke free from the shackles of gender norms. The vision that animated Táhirih's heroic life and inspired the prolific stream of her discourse was that of an imminent transformation in human civilization. And the most apocalyptic of the veils she lifted was that from the advent of the Promised One.