The history of the Baháʼí Faith in Azerbaijan is complex and intertwined with various developments in the country's history. Through that series of changes the thread of the Baháʼí Faith traces its history in the region from the earliest moments of the Bábí religion, accepted by Baháʼís as a predecessor religion, in that one of its most prominent figures, Táhirih, was an Azerbaijani. Followers of the religion formed communities in Nakhichevan before 1850. By the early 20th century the community, by then centered in Baku, numbered perhaps 2000 individuals and several Baháʼí Local Spiritual Assemblies and had facilitated the favorable attention of local and regional, and international leaders of thought as well as long-standing leading figures in the religion. However under Soviet rule the B