Hippolyte Dreyfus-Barney

This is the first comprehensive account of the life of Hippolyte Dreyfus-Barney, who is generally known as the first French Baha ' i . He was one of the few early Western Baha ' i s who had a deep understanding of the tenets of the Faith. By virtue of his ability to read Persian and Arabic and his numerous publications, translations, and public talks, Hippolyte was recognized by prominent orientalists as the first Baha ' i scholar in the West. His Essai sur le Be haisme, published in 1909, was, for a very long time, considered the most comprehensive and accurate presentation of the Faith. During his life, he became one of the first diplomats of the Baha ' i community and ' Abdu' l-Baha 's most trusted Western envoy, and he interacted with government officials, princes, diplomats, and leaders of thought from many parts of the world. In 1906, he was chosen by ' Abdu' l-Baha to be the first Western Baha ' i to go to Persia. In 1911 and 1913, he acted as ' Abdu' l-Baha translator in Europe and arranged His meetings. He was posthumously named a Disciple of ' Abdu' l-Baha for the " distinctive and inestimable" services he rendered to the Faith.