Editing ʻAbdu'l-Bahá (section)

===Marriage and family life===

When ʻAbdu'l-Bahá was a young man, speculation was rife amongst the Baháʼís as to whom he would marry.{{sfn|Esslemont|1980}}{{sfn|Hogenson|2010|p=87}} Several young girls were seen as marriage prospects but ʻAbdu'l-Bahá seemed disinclined to marriage.{{sfn|Esslemont|1980}} On 8 March 1873, at the urging of his father,<ref name="Harvnb|Kazemzadeh|2009"/><ref>{{Harvnb|Ma'ani|2008|p=112}}</ref> the twenty-eight-year-old ʻAbdu'l-Bahá married [[Munírih Khánum|Fátimih Nahrí of Isfahán]] (1847–1938) a twenty-five-year-old from an upper-class family of the city.<ref name=Smith2000-p255>{{Harvnb|Smith|2000|p=255}}</ref> Her father was Mírzá Muḥammad ʻAlí Nahrí of [[Isfahan]], an eminent Baháʼí with prominent connections.{{efn|The Nahrí family had earned their fortune from a successful trading business. They won the favor of the leading ecclesiastics and nobility of Isfahan and had business transactions with royalty.}}{{sfn|Esslemont|1980}}{{sfn|Hogenson|2010|p=87}} Fátimih was brought from [[Persia]] to ʻAkká after both [[Baháʼu'lláh]] and his wife [[Navváb]] expressed an interest that she marries ʻAbdu'l-Bahá.{{sfn|Esslemont|1980}}<ref name=Smith2000-p255/><ref name="ltoae">{{Harvnb|Phelps|1912|pp=85–94}}</ref> After a wearisome journey from Isfahán to Akka she finally arrived accompanied by her brother in 1872.{{sfn|Esslemont|1980}}<ref name="ltoae"/> The young couple were betrothed for about five months before the marriage itself commenced. In the meantime, Fátimih lived in the home of ʻAbdu'l-Bahá's uncle [[Mírzá Músá]]. According to her later memoirs, Fátimih fell in love with ʻAbdu'l-Bahá on seeing him. ʻAbdu'l-Bahá himself had shown little inkling to marriage until meeting Fátimih;<ref name="ltoae"/> who was entitled Munírih by [[Baháʼu'lláh]].<ref name="Harvnb|Kazemzadeh|2009"/> Munírih is a title meaning "Luminous".<ref name="aittbf">{{harvnb|Smith|2008|p=35}}</ref>

The marriage resulted in nine children. The first born was a son Mihdí Effendi who died aged about 3. He was followed by Ḍíyáʼíyyih K͟hánum, Fuʼádíyyih K͟hánum (who dies very young), Rúhangíz Khánum (d. 1893), Túbá Khánum, Husayn Effendi (d. 1887 aged 5), Túbá K͟hánum, Rúhá K͟hánum (mother of [[Munib Shahid]]), and Munnavar K͟hánum. The death of his children caused ʻAbdu'l-Bahá immense grief – in particular the death of his son Husayn Effendi came at a difficult time following the death of his mother and uncle.<ref>{{Harvnb|Ma'ani|2008|p=323}}</ref> The surviving children (all daughters) were; Ḍíyáʼíyyih K͟hánum (mother of [[Shoghi Effendi]]) (d. 1951) Túbá K͟hánum (1880–1959) Rúḥá K͟hánum and Munavvar K͟hánum (d. 1971).{{sfn|Esslemont|1980}} [[Baháʼu'lláh]] wished that the Baháʼís follow the example of ʻAbdu'l-Bahá and gradually move away from polygamy.<ref name="ltoae"/><ref name="aittbf"/><ref>{{Harvnb|Ma'ani|2008|p=360}}</ref> The marriage of ʻAbdu'l-Bahá to one woman and his choice to remain monogamous,<ref name="ltoae"/> from advice of his father and his own wish,<ref name="ltoae"/><ref name="aittbf"/> legitimised the practice of monogamy<ref name="aittbf"/> to a people who hitherto had regarded polygamy as a righteous way of life.<ref name="ltoae"/><ref name="aittbf"/>