Núrayn-i-Nayyirayn (, meaning "twin shining lights") are two brothers who were followers of Baháʼu'lláh, the founder of the Baháʼí Faith, a global religion of Persian origin. They were beheaded in 1879 as a result of being Baháʼís. Numerous letters and tablets were written in their honour by Baháʼu'lláh, who gave them the titles which they are commonly known as: the King of Martyrs and the Beloved of Martyrs. The older brother was Mírzá Muhammad-Husayn, given the title Mahbúbu's͟h-S͟huhadáʼ (Beloved of Martyrs). His brother was Mírzá Muhammad-Hasan, given the title Sultánu's͟h-S͟huhadaʼ (King of Martyrs). The latter was identified as one of the nineteen Apostles of Baháʼu'lláh. The two were both natives of Isfahan, and were both rich and highly endowed with trading acumen. They were beheaded in the city of Isfahan in 1879 as a result of three persons: Mir Muhammad-Husayn, the Imám-Jum'ih of Isfahan; Shaykh Muhammad-Baqir, another influential Muslim cleric of Isfahan; and Sultán-Mas'úd Mírzá, the son of Násiri'd-Dín Sháh, who governed Isfahan during the time. Background The brothers followed in the footsteps of their father, Mírzá Ibráhím. They had for years helped the Imám-Jum'ih in managing his affairs, making several payments on his behalf, which became quite a substantial amount. The brothers were merchants, and participated in a trading network with the Afnán (relatives of the Báb), who had a vast and profitable network stretching from Hong Kong to the Caucasus as well as Dutchman Johan Colligan. The two brothers were well known to be selfless, upright and kindly men. Part of their success as merchants has been attributed to their record of honest and upright transactions. When they asked for the money which the Imám owed them, he stalled, and began to find ways of evading the payment. He met with Shaykh Muhammad-Baqir, another influential Islamic leader, and they created a plan to destroy the two of them. They approached Sultan-Mas'ud Mirza, the governor of Isfahan, and he quickly agreed to have them thrown in jail, on the grounds that they were Baháʼís. Martyrdom The two brothers were tortured, and promised release upon recanting their faith and cursing its leaders, which they never did. The collaborators wrote a letter to the Shah in Tehran, informing him that they had "in their concern for the security of the sovereign", detained and imprisoned two Baháʼís, and requested his permission to have them put to death. The Shah refused the request,