The Dispensation of the Bab began quietly with a profound conversation one May night in the year 1844, unattended by all save a single listener. The impact of that momentous announcement has since reverberated through a turbulent humanity, largely ignorant of its source, for a century and a half. Yet it is a world that is growing increasingly aware of the global Baha'i community that has slowly taken shape following the Bab's announcement.

The Bab's principal purpose was to announce the dawning of a new age for humanity through a vast new Revelation of guidance from God - the Revelation of Baha'u'llah, outlining a framework for the development of a global civilization which would take into account all of the manifold spiritual and material dimensions of human life.

The purpose of this present anthology marking the bicentenary of the Bab's birth is to collect together some of the many tributes and testimonials to the Bab that capture, not so much the chronological details of His earthly life, but rather the importance of His station and the impact of His Revelation.