Ma’ani: A reference to the Imams as the repositories of the inner meanings of the Word of God.
Madrisih: Religious college
Magi: A caste of priests and sages among the ancient Persians.
Maiden: Term used in the Baha’i writings to refer to the Spirit of God which descended upon Baha’u’llah while He was in the Black Pit.
Maidservant or maidservants: A designation applied to a female Baha’i signifying recognition of her commitment to conform her life to the precepts of the religion
Manifestation: The nature of a prophet or the Manifestation of God is thus described in Gleanings from the Writings of Baha’u’llah (pp. 66-67) : ". . . since there can be no tie of direct intercourse to bind the one true God with His creation, and no resemblance whatever can exist between the transient and the Eternal, the contingent and the Absolute, He hath ordained that in every age and dispensation a pure and stainless Soul be made manifest in the kingdoms of earth and heaven. . . . These Essences of Detachment, these resplendent Realities are the channels of God's all-pervasive grace. Led by the light of unfailing guidance, and invested with supreme sovereignty, they are commissioned to use the inspiration of Their words, the effusions of Their infallible grace and the sanctifying breezes of Their Revelation for the cleansing of every longing heart and receptive spirit from the dross and dust of earthly cares and limitations.”
Manifestation of God: One who is the "expressimage" of the perfections and attributes of God. The term used to describe a Prophet or Messenger of God Who is the Founder of a religious dispensation. The Manifestations are not God descended to earth, but They reflect God's attributes, just as a mirror reflects the sun but is not the sun itself.
Man-Yuzhiruh’llah: “He whom God will make manifest.” Title given by the Báb to the promised One.
Marhaba: Arabic means 'Bravo', 'Well done', also 'Welcome'.
Mashriqu’l-Adhkar: Arabic means ‘The Dawning-place of the Praise of God’: title designating a Baha’i House of Worship or Temple. Open to the public for devotional meetings, Baha’i Houses of Worship have been constructed in Wilmette, near Chicago, Illinois; Kampala, Uganda; Ingleside, near Sydney, Australia; Langenhain, near Frankfurt am Main, Germany; Panama City, Panama; Apia, Western Samoa; and New Delhi, India. Plans for construction of one in Santiago, Chile, are underway. The first Bahi'i House of Worship, built in 1902 in 'Ishqabad, Turkmenistan, was damaged by an earthquake in 1948 and, following heavy rains, had to be razed in 1963.
Masjid: Mosque, temple, place of worship.
Masjid-i-Shah: A great Mosque in Tihran built by Fath-'Ali Shah.
Master, the: A title of 'Abdu'l-Baha.
Maydan: A square or open place. A subdivision of a farsakh.
Mazindaran: A northern province of Iran bordering the Caspian Sea. Baha’u’llah's ancestral home was located there.
Mazra‘ih: A mansion situated just north of Acre that 'Abdu’l-Baha rented for Baha’u’llah. Baha’u’llah took up residence there in June 1877and stayed for two years before moving to the mansion of Bahji.
Mecca: The birthplace of Prophet Muhammad, the site of the Ka'bih, and the most sacred city of Islam. Muhammad declared His Mission as a Manifestation of God in Mecca.
Medina: The city which sheltered Muhammad and where He is buried; esteemed as second only to Mecca in sanctity.
Messenger: Term used in the Baha’i writings to refer to a Prophet, or Manifestation of God. Baha’u’llah likens the Messenger of God to a perfect mirror reflecting the sun; that is, His life and teachings are a pure reflection of the spiritual light, or attributes, of God, Who is the Source of life. The capacities of a Messenger of God are distinct from those of other humans, according to Baha’i writings, although the human soul is also created to reflect the attributes of God and is capable of “limitless perfections”.
Midian: A city and district on the Red Sea, southeast of Mt. Sinai, occupied by the descendants of Midian, son of Abraham and Keturah. See Qur'an, surih 7:83.
Mihdi: Literally ‘One Who Is Guided’; Title of the Manifestation expected by Islám.
Mihrab: The principal place in a mosque, where the imám prays with his face turned towards Mecca.
Mi'raj: “Ascent”; used with reference to Muhammad’s night journey to heaven with angle Gabriel.
Mirza: A contraction of Amir-Zadih, meaning ‘son of an Amir’. When it follows a name, it signifies ‘prince’; when prefixed, simply ‘Mr.’
Monument Gardens: Beautifully landscaped gardens at the heart of the Arc on Mount Carmel where befitting monuments have been erected over the graves of the daughter and the wife of Baha'u'llah, His son who died in prison in Acre, and the wife of 'Abdu'l-Baha.
Mosque of Aqsa, The: The name by which the Temple of Solomon in Jerusalem is referred to in the Qur'an.
Mosque of Sultan Salim: The site in Adrianople Mirza Yahya chose for a public debate with and Baha’u’llah. The debate, which was suggested and organized by Mir Muhammad, never took place because Mirza Yahya did not attend.
Most Great Branch: A title of ‘Abdu’l-Baha.
Most Great Idol: Title Baha’u’llah gave to Mirza Yahya referring to Mirza Yahya’s pretense in claiming to be a Messenger of God.
Most Great Name, The: A title of Baha’u’llah
Most Great Peace: A condition of permanent peace and world unity founded on spiritual principles and the second of two major stages in which Baha’is believe peace will be established. The first stage, the Lesser Peace, refers to political peace established by the nations of the world. The Most Great Peace will then develop in gradual stages.
Most Great Separation: Phrase Baha’u’llah used to refer to a period of two months, starting 10 March 1866, during which He lived in seclusion from the Babi community in Adrianople. This period allowed the Babis, both faithful and unfaithful, to decide where their allegiances lay.
Mount Carmel: The mountain spoken of by Isaiah as the "mountain of the Lord." Today, the site of the Baha'i World Centre including several Baha'i holy places, the most important of which are the Shrine of the Bab and the Monument Gardens.
Muezzin (Mu’adhdhin): The one who sounds the Adhan, the Muslim call to prayer. A Muslim crier who calls the hour of daily prayers.
Mufaddal: A devoted follower of Imam Sadiq, who has handed down many Muslim Shi’ih traditions from the Amma.
Mufti: A professional jurist responsible for the interpretation of Islamic law.
Muharram: First month of the Muslim year, the first-ten days of which are observed by Shi'ihs to commemorate the martyrdom of the Imam Husayn in Karbila
Mujtahid: A Muslim Doctor of Law. The highest rank of divine within Shia Islam. One who has the power to make authoritative decisions on points of law in the name of the Hidden Imam. Most of the mujtahids of Persia have received their diplomas from the most eminent jurists of Karbilá and Najaf.
Mulla: An Islamic priest, cleric, theologian, or judge.
Mustaghath: Literally, "He who is invoked"; the numerical value of which has been assigned by the Báb as the limit of the time fixed for the advent of the promised Manifestation. Referring to the appearance of Baha'u'llah at the time announced by the Bab. By reference to the numerical value of this word, the Bab reveals the ninth year of this Era (A.D. 1853) as date of Baha’u’llah’s manifestation.
Mutasarrif: Governor.
Mystery of God: A title given by Baha’u’llah to ‘Abdu'l-Baha alluding to the unique blend of human nature with a knowledge and perfection beyond the scope of ordinary men that was evident in ‘Abdu'l-Baha.
