Táhirih was born Fātemeh Baraghāni in Qazvin, Iran (near Tehran), the oldest of four daughters of Muhammad Salih Baraghani, an Usuli mujtahid who was remembered for his interpretations of the Quran, his eulogies of the tragedies of Karbala, his zeal for the execution of punishments, and his active opposition to the consumption of wine.
Her mother was from a Persian noble family, whose brother was the imam of the Shah Mosque of Qazvin.
Her mother as well as Táhirih and all her sisters all studied in the Salehiyya, the Salehi madrasa her father had established in 1817, which included a women's section.
Táhirih's uncle, Mohammad Taqi Baraghani, was also a mujtahid whose power and influence dominated the court of Fath-Ali Shah Qajar.
The lack of contemporary evidence makes it impossible to determine her exact date of birth.
Historian and contemporary Nabíl-i-Aʻzam cites that it was in 1817, whilst others claim an earlier date of 1814.
Her grandson suggests a much later date of 1819, whilst some modern historians claim she was born about 1815.
Shoghi Effendi and William Sears suggest the date of 1817, and other writers agree.
This is supported by claims by a chronicler from the 19th century, who wrote that Táhirih was "thirty-six years of age" when she was killed, in accordance to the lunar calendar.
After interviewing Táhirih's family and the families of contemporaries as well as reading documents about her life Martha Root believed that the most accurate date of birth was between 1817–1819.
These findings are contested in several books and articles, but the evidence does not conclusively support either date.

The Baraghani brothers had migrated from an obscure village near Qazvin to the city where they made their fortunes in ecclesiastical schools.
They soon rose to the ranks of high-ranking clerics in the court of the Shah of Persia and even running religious sections of Qazvin.
The brothers also involved themselves in the mercantile business accumulating great wealth and royal favour.
Her father was himself a noted and respected cleric, as was her older uncle who married a daughter of the monarch.
Táhirih's two younger uncles were not as elevated as the older ones but still had reasonable power in the court.
Her aunt was a renowned poet and calligrapher in royal circles and wrote government decrees in her "beautiful hand".
At the time of her birth, the Baraghani's were one of the most respected and powerful families in Persia.
Táhirih was born Fātemeh Baraghāni in Qazvin, Iran (near Tehran), the oldest of four daughters of Muhammad Salih Baraghani, an Usuli mujtahid who was remembered for his interpretations of the Quran, his eulogies of the tragedies of Karbala, his zeal for the execution of punishments, and his active opposition to the consumption of wine. Her mother was from a Persian noble family, whose brother was the imam of the Shah Mosque of Qazvin. Her mother as well as Táhirih and all her sisters all studied in the Salehiyya, the Salehi madrasa her father had established in 1817, which included a women's section. Táhirih's uncle, Mohammad Taqi Baraghani, was also a mujtahid whose power and influence dominated the court of Fath-Ali Shah Qajar. The lack of contemporary evidence makes it impossible to determine her exact date of birth. Historian and contemporary Nabíl-i-Aʻzam cites that it was in 1817, whilst others claim an earlier date of 1814. Her grandson suggests a much later date of 1819, whilst some modern historians claim she was born about 1815. Shoghi Effendi and William Sears suggest the date of 1817, and other writers agree. This is supported by claims by a chronicler from the 19th century, who wrote that Táhirih was "thirty-six years of age" when she was killed, in accordance to the lunar calendar. After interviewing Táhirih's family and the families of contemporaries as well as reading documents about her life Martha Root believed that the most accurate date of birth was between 1817–1819. These findings are contested in several books and articles, but the evidence does not conclusively support either date.
The Baraghani brothers had migrated from an obscure village near Qazvin to the city where they made their fortunes in ecclesiastical schools. They soon rose to the ranks of high-ranking clerics in the court of the Shah of Persia and even running religious sections of Qazvin. The brothers also involved themselves in the mercantile business accumulating great wealth and royal favour. Her father was himself a noted and respected cleric, as was her older uncle who married a daughter of the monarch. Táhirih's two younger uncles were not as elevated as the older ones but still had reasonable power in the court. Her aunt was a renowned poet and calligrapher in royal circles and wrote government decrees in her "beautiful hand". At the time of her birth, the Baraghani's were one of the most respected and powerful families in Persia.
Táhirih