T A time when the shining
reality of the Faith of Muhammad had been obscured by the ignorance,
the fanaticism, and perversity of the contending
sects into which it had fallen, there appeared above
the horizon of the East(1) that luminous Star of
Divine guidance, Shaykh Ahmad-i-Ahsa'i(2).
He observed how
those who professed the Faith of Islam had shattered its unity, sapped
its force, perverted its purpose, and degraded its holy name.
His soul was filled with anguish at the sight of the corruption
and strife which characterised the Shi'ah sect of Islam. Inspired
by the light that shone within him(3), he
arose with unerring vision, with fixed purpose, and sublime detachment
to utter his protest against the betrayal of the Faith by that
ignoble people. Aglow with zeal and conscious of the sublimity
of his calling, he vehemently appealed not only to
shi'ah Islam but to all the followers of Muhammad throughout.
Bereft of all earthly possessions, and detached from all
save God, he, in the early days of the thirteenth century of
the Hegira, when forty years of age, arose to dedicate the
remaining days of his life to the task he felt impelled to
shoulder. He first proceeded to Najaf and Karbila,(2)
where in a few years he acquired familiarity with the prevailing
thoughts and standards current among the learned men of
Islam. There he came to be recognised as one of the authorised
expounders of the Islamic Holy Writ, was declared
a mujtahid, and soon obtained an ascendancy over the rest
of his colleagues, who either visited or were residing in those
holy cities. These came to regard him as one initiated into
the mysteries of Divine Revelation, and qualified to unravel
the abstruse utterances of Muhammad and of the imams of
the Faith. As his influence increased, and the scope of his
Having achieved his purpose in those cities, and inhaling
the fragrance which wafted upon him from Persia, he felt
in his heart an irrepressible yearning to hasten to that country.
He concealed from his friends, however, the real motive that
impelled him to direct his steps towards that land. By way
of the Persian Gulf, he hastened unto the land of his heart's
desire, ostensibly for the purpose of visiting the shrine of the
Imam Rida in Mashhad.(1) He was filled with
eagerness to unburden his soul, and searched zealously for those to whom
he could deliver the secret which to no one he had as yet
divulged. Upon his arrival at Shiraz, the city which enshrined
that concealed Treasure of God, and from which the voice of
the Herald of a new Manifestation was destined to be proclaimed,
he repaired to the Masjid-i-Jum'ih, a mosque which
in its style and shape bore a striking resemblance to the holy
shrine of Mecca. Many a time did he, whilst gazing upon
that edifice, observe: "Verily, this house of God betokens
such signs as only those who are endowed with understanding
can perceive. Methinks he who conceived and built it was
inspired of God."(2) How
often and how passionately he
extolled that city! Such was the praise he lavished upon it
that his hearers, who were only too familiar with its mediocrity,
were astonished at the tone of his language. "Wonder
not," he said to those who were surprised, "for ere long the
secret of my words will be made manifest to you. Among
Having sown the seeds of Divine knowledge in the hearts
of those whom he found receptive to his call, Shaykh Ahmad
set out for Yazd, where he tarried awhile, engaged continually
in the dissemination of such truths as he felt urged to reveal.
Most of his books and epistles were written in that city.(1)
Such was the fame he acquired,(2) that the ruler of
Persia, Fath-'Ali Shah, was moved to address to him from Tihran a
written message,(3)
calling upon him to explain certain
specific questions related to the abstruse teachings of the Muslim
Faith, the meaning of which the leading ulamas of his realm
had been unable to unfold. To this he readily answered in
the form of an epistle to which he gave the name of "Risaly-i-Sultaniyyih."
The Shah was so pleased with the tone and
subject matter of that epistle that he forthwith sent him a
second message, this time extending to him an invitation to
visit his court. Replying to this second imperial message,
Among those who, in the city of Yazd, were awakened
by the message of that bearer of the light of God, was Haji
Abdu'l-Vahhab, a man of great piety, upright and God-fearing.
He visited Shaykh Ahmad each day in the company
of a certain Mulla Abdu'l-Khaliq-i-Yazdi, who was noted
for his authority and learning. On certain occasions, however,
in order to talk confidentially with Abdu'l-Vahhab,
Shaykh Ahmad, to the great surprise of the learned Abdu'l-Khaliq,
would ask him to retire from his presence and leave
him alone with his chosen and favoured disciple. This marked
preference shown to so modest and illiterate a man as Abdu'l-Vahhab
was a cause of great surprise to his companion, who
was only too conscious of his own superiority and attainments.
Later, however, when Shaykh Ahmad had departed from
Yazd, Abdu'l-Vahhab retired from the society of men and
came to be regarded as a Sufi. By the orthodox leaders of
that community, however, such as the Ni'matu'llah and
Dhahabi, he was denounced as an intruder and was suspected
of a desire to rob them of their leadership. Abdu'l-Vahhab,
for whom the Sufi doctrine had no special attraction, scorned
their false imputations and shunned their society. He associated
with none except Haji Hasan-i-Nayini, whom he had
chosen as his intimate friend and to whom he confided the
secret with which he had been entrusted by his master.
When Abdu'l-Vahhab died, this friend, following his example,
continued to pursue the path which he had directed him to
tread, and announced to every receptive soul the tidings of
God's fast-approaching Revelation.
Mirza Mahmud-i-Qamsari, whom I met in Kashan, and
who at that time was an old man over ninety years of age
and was greatly beloved and revered by all those who knew
him, related to me the following story: "I recall when in
my youth, at the time when I was living in Kashan, I heard
of a certain man in Nayin who had arisen to announce the
tidings of a new Revelation, and under whose spell fell all
who heard him, whether scholars, officials of the government,
or the uneducated among the people. His influence was such
that those who came in contact with him renounced the
world and despised its riches. Curious to ascertain the truth,
I proceeded, unsuspected by my friends, to Nayin, where I
was able to verify the statements that were current about
him. His radiant countenance bespoke the light that had
been kindled in his soul. I heard him, one day, after he had
offered his morning prayer, speak words such as these: `Ere
long will the earth be turned into a paradise. Ere long will
Persia be made the shrine round which will circle the peoples
of the earth.' One morning, at the hour of dawn, I found
him fallen upon his face, repeating in wrapt devotion the
words `Allah-u-Akbar.'(1)
To my great surprise he
turned to me and said: `That which I have been announcing to you is
now revealed. At this very hour the light of the promised
One has broken and is shedding illumination upon the world.
O Mahmud, verily I say, you shall live to behold that Day
of days.' The words which that holy man addressed to me
kept ringing in my ears until the day when, in the year sixty,
I was privileged to hear the Call that arose from Shiraz. I
was, alas, unable, because of my infirmities, to hasten to that
city. Later, when the Bab, the herald of the new Revelation,
arrived in Kashan and for three nights lived as a guest in
the house of Haji Mirza Jani, I was unaware of His visit
and so missed the honour of attaining His presence. Sometime
afterwards, whilst conversing with the followers of the
Faith, I was informed that the birthday of the Bab fell on
the first day of the month of Muharram of the year 1235 A.H.(2) I realised that the
day to which Haji Hasan-i-Nayini
had referred did not correspond with this date, that there was
actually a difference of two years between them. This thought
This account which I heard from the lips of Mirza Mahmud-i-Qamsari
himself, and which is still current amongst
the people, is assuredly a compelling evidence of the perspicacity
of the late Shaykh Ahmad-i-Ahsa'i and bears eloquent
testimony to the influence he exercised upon his immediate
disciples. The promise he gave them was eventually
fulfilled, and the mystery with which he fired their souls was
unfolded in all its glory.
During those days when Shaykh Ahmad was preparing
to depart from Yazd, Siyyid Kazim-i-Rashti,(3)
that other luminary of Divine guidance, set out from his native province
of Gilan with the object of visiting Shaykh Ahmad, ere the
This Siyyid Kazim had already, from his early boyhood,
shown signs of remarkable intellectual power and spiritual
insight. He was unique among those of his own rank and
age. At the age of eleven, he had committed to memory the
whole of the Qur'an. At the age of fourteen, he had learned
by heart a prodigious number of prayers and recognised traditions
of Muhammad. At the age of eighteen, he had composed
a commentary on a verse of the Qur'an known as the
Ayatu'l-Kursi, which had excited the wonder and the admiration
of the most learned of his day. His piety, the gentleness
of his character, and his humility were such that all who
knew him, whether young or old, were profoundly impressed.
In the year 1231 A.H.,(1) when only twenty-two
years
old, he, forsaking home, kindred, and friends, departed from Gilan,
intent upon attaining the presence of him who had so nobly
arisen to announce the approaching dawn of a Divine Revelation.
He had been in the company of Shaykh Ahmad for
only a few weeks, when the latter, turning to him one day,
addressed him in these words: "Remain in your house and
cease attending my lectures. Such of my disciples as may
feel perplexed will turn henceforth to you, and will seek to
obtain from you directly whatsoever assistance they may require.
You will, through the knowledge which the Lord your
God has bestowed upon you, resolve their problems and tranquillise
Shaykh Ahmad, having thus committed his disciples to
the care of Siyyid Kazim, left for Khurasan. There he tarried
awhile, in the close vicinity of the holy shrine of the Imam
Shaykh Ahmad therefore set his face towards Nur and,
accompanied by Siyyid Kazim and a number of his distinguished
disciples, proceeded to Tihran. The Shah of Persia,
being informed of the approach of Shaykh Ahmad to his
capital, commanded the dignitaries and officials of Tihran to
go out to meet him. He directed them to extend a cordial
expression of welcome on his behalf. The distinguished visitor
and his companions were royally entertained by the Shah,
who visited him in person and declared him to be "the glory
of his nation and an ornament to his people."(1)
In those days, there was born a Child in an ancient and noble family
of Nur,(2) whose father
was Mirza Abbas, better
known as Mirza Buzurg, a favoured minister of the Crown. That Child
was Baha'u'llah.(3) At
the hour of dawn, on the second day
The governor of Kirmanshah, Prince Muhammad-'Ali Mirza,
the Shah's eldest son and the ablest member of his
house, had already begged permission of his Imperial Majesty
to enable him to entertain and serve in person Shaykh Ahmad.(2)
So favoured was the Prince in the eyes of the Shah, that his
request was immediately granted. Wholly resigned to his
destiny, Shaykh Ahmad bade farewell to Tihran. Ere his
departure from that city, he breathed a prayer that this
hidden Treasure of God, now born amongst his countrymen,
might be preserved and cherished by them, that they might
recognise the full measure of His blessedness and glory, and
might be enabled to proclaim His excellence to all nations
and peoples.
Upon his arrival in Kirmanshah, Shaykh Ahmad decided
to select a number of the most receptive from among his
shi'ah disciples, and, by devoting his special attention to their
enlightenment, to enable them to become the active supporters
of the Cause of the promised Revelation. In the series of
books and epistles which he undertook to write, among which
figures his well-known work Sharhu'z-Ziyarih, he extolled in
clear and vivid language the virtues of the imams of the
Faith, and laid special stress upon the allusions which they
had made to the coming of the promised One. By his repeated
references to Husayn, he meant, however, none other
than the Husayn who was yet to be revealed; and by his
allusions to the ever-recurrent name Ali, he intended not the
The Bab, whose name was Ali-Muhammad, was born in
Shiraz, on the first of Muharram, in the year 1235 A.H. He
was the descendant of a house renowned for its nobility,
which traced its origin to Muhammad Himself. His father, Siyyid
Muhammad-Rida, as well as His mother, were descendants
of the Prophet, and belonged to families of recognised
standing. The date of His birth confirmed the truth
of the saying attributed to the Imam Ali, the Commander
of the Faithful: "I am two years younger than my Lord."
The mystery of this utterance, however, remained unrevealed
except to those who sought and recognised the truth of the
new Revelation. It was He, the Bab, who, in His first, His
most weighty and exalted Book, revealed this passage concerning
Baha'u'llah: "O Thou Remnant of God! I have sacrificed
Myself wholly for Thee; I have consented to be cursed
for Thy sake; and have yearned for naught but martyrdom
in the path of Thy love. Sufficient witness unto Me is God,
the Exalted, the Protector, the Ancient of Days!"
While Shaykh Ahmad was sojourning in Kirmanshah, he
received so many evidences of ardent devotion from Prince
Muhammad-'Ali Mirza that on one occasion he was moved
to refer to the Prince in such terms: "Muhammad-'Ali I
regard as my own son, though he be a descendant of Fath-'Ali."
A considerable number of seekers and disciples thronged his
house and eagerly attended his lectures. To none, however,
did he feel inclined to show the consideration and affectionate
regard which characterised his attitude towards Siyyid Kazim.
He seemed to have singled him out from among the multitude
that crowded to see him, and to be preparing him to carry
on with undiminished vigour his work after his death. One
After the death of Prince Muhammad-'Ali Mirza,(1)
Shaykh Ahmad, freed from the urgent solicitations of the Prince to
extend his sojourn in Kirmanshah, transferred his residence
to Karbila. Though to outward seeming he was circling round
the shrine of the Siyyidu'sh-Shuhada',(2) the Imam
Husayn, his heart, whilst he performed those rites, was set upon that
true Husayn, the only object of his devotions. A host of
Ere he departed from Karbila, he confided to Siyyid Kazim,
his chosen successor, the secret of his mission,(1) and instructed
him to strive to kindle in every receptive heart the fire that
had burned so brightly within him. However much Siyyid
Kazim insisted on accompanying him as far as Najaf, Shaykh
Ahmad refused to comply with his request. "You have no
time to lose," were the last words which he addressed to him.
"Every fleeting hour should be fully and wisely utilised. You
should gird up the loin of endeavour and strive day and
night to rend asunder, by the grace of God and by the hand
of wisdom and loving-kindness, those veils of heedlessness
that have blinded the eyes of men. For verily I say, the
Hour is drawing nigh, the Hour I have besought God to
spare me from witnessing, for the earthquake of the Last
Hour will be tremendous. You should pray to God to be
spared the overpowering trials of that Day, for neither of us
is capable of withstanding its sweeping force. Others, of
greater endurance and power, have been destined to bear
this stupendous weight, men whose hearts are sanctified from
all earthly things, and whose strength is reinforced by the
potency of His power."
Having spoken these words, Shaykh Ahmad bade him
farewell, urged him to face valiantly the trials that must
needs afflict him, and committed him to the care of God.
How great, how very great, is His Cause, that even to so
exalted a personage as Siyyid Kazim words such as these
should have been addressed! This answer of Shaykh Ahmad
imparted solace and strength to the heart of Siyyid Kazim,
who, with redoubled determination, continued to withstand
the onslaught of an envious and insidious enemy.
Shaykh Ahmad died soon after,(2) in the year 1242
A.H., at the age of eighty-one, and was laid to rest in the cemetery
of Baqi',(3) in the close
vicinity of the resting place of Muhammad in the holy city of Medina.
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