A searing historical study documents the brutal religious persecutions inflicted upon Bábí and Bahá’í residents of Nayríz, Iran, during the massacres of 1850, 1853 and 1909. Set against a backdrop of corrupt clergy and complicit authorities, these events reveal how fanaticism and paranoia can eclipse compassion and reason, foreshadowing modern-day hostilities faced by Bahá’ís in Iran.

Through firsthand survivor testimonies, contemporary reports and archival material, the narrative reconstructs each wave of violence—betrayals by neighbours, gruesome torture methods and mass killings. Motives are examined through the lens of religious extremism, social upheaval and political self-interest, while parallels with other global atrocities underscore the universal peril of unchecked fanaticism. Contextual analysis probes whether any social or cultural forces might mitigate such brutality.

By tracing these dark episodes, the work affords a profound understanding of how intolerance corrodes communities and erodes human dignity. It illuminates the imperative of safeguarding religious freedom and fosters lasting vigilance against the resurgence of hate, intolerance and collective violence.