N THE same month of Sha'ban that witnessed the indignities inflicted
upon the Bab in Tabriz, and the afflictions which befell Baha'u'llah and His companions
in Niyala, Mulla Husayn returned from the camp of Prince Hamzih Mirza to Mashhad,
from which place he was to proceed seven days later to Karbila accompanied by
whomsoever he might desire. The prince offered him a sum to defray the expenses
of his journey, an offer that he declined, sending the money back with a message
requesting him to expend it for the relief of the poor and needy. Abdu'l-'Ali
Khan likewise volunteered to provide all the requirements of Mulla Husayn's intended
pilgrimage, and expressed his eagerness to pay also the expenses of whomsoever
he might choose to accompany him. All that he accepted from him was a sword and
a horse, both of which he was destined to utilise with consummate bravery and
skill in repulsing the assaults of a treacherous enemy. My pen can never adequately describe the devotion
which Mulla Husayn had kindled in the hearts of the people of Mashhad, nor can
it seek to fathom the extent of his influence. His house, in those days, was continually
besieged by crowds of eager people who begged to be allowed to accompany him on
his contemplated journey. Mothers brought their sons, and sisters their brothers,
and tearfully implored him to accept them as their most cherished offerings on
the Altar of Sacrifice. Mulla Husayn was still in Mashhad when a messenger
arrived bearing to him the Bab's turban and conveying the news that a new name,
that of Siyyid Ali, had been conferred upon him by his Master. "Adorn your head,"
was the message, "with My green turban, the emblem of My lineage, and, with the
Black Standard(1) unfurled before
you,
As soon as that message reached him, Mulla
Husayn arose to execute the wishes of his Master. Leaving Mashhad for a place
situated at a farsang's(2)
distance from the city, he hoisted the Black Standard, placed the turban of the
Bab upon his head, assembled his companions, mounted his steed, and gave the signal
for their march to the Jaziriy-i-Khadra'. His companions, who were two hundred
and two in number, enthusiastically followed him. That memorable day was the nineteenth
of Sha'ban, in the year 1264 A.H.(3)
Wherever they tarried, at every village and hamlet through which they passed,
Mulla Husayn and his fellow-disciples would fearlessly proclaim the message of
the New Day, would invite the people to embrace its truth, and would select from
among those who responded to their call a few whom they would ask to join them
on their journey. In the town of Nishapur, Haji Abdu'l-Majid,
the father of Badi',(4) who
was a merchant of note, enlisted under the banner of Mulla Husayn. Though his
father enjoyed an unrivalled prestige as the owner of the best-known turquoise
mine of Nishapur, he, forsaking all the honours and material benefits that his
native town had conferred upon him, pledged his undivided loyalty to Mulla Husayn.
In the village of Miyamay, thirty among its inhabitants declared their faith
Arriving at Chashmih-'Ali, a place situated
near the town of Damghan and on the highroad to Mazindaran, Mulla Husayn decided
to break his journey and to tarry there for a few days. He encamped under the
shadow of a big tree, by the side of a running stream. "We stand at the parting
of the ways," he told his companions. "We shall await His decree as to which direction
we should take." Towards the end of the month of Shavval,(2)
a fierce gale arose and struck down a large branch of that tree; whereupon Mulla
Husayn observed: "The tree of the sovereignty of Muhammad Shah has, by the will
of God, been uprooted and hurled to the ground." On the third day after he had
uttered that prediction, a messenger, who was on his way to Mashhad, arrived from
Tihran and reported the death of his sovereign.(3)
The following day, the company determined to leave for Mazindaran. As their leader
arose to depart, he pointed in the direction of Mazindaran and said: "This is
the way that leads to our Karbila. Whoever is unprepared for the great trials
that lie before us, let him now repair to his home and give up the journey." He
several times repeated that warning, and, as he approached Savad-Kuh, explicitly
declared: "I, together with seventy-two of my companions, shall suffer death for
the sake of the Well-Beloved. Whoso is unable to renounce the world, let him now
at this very moment, depart, for later on he will be unable to escape." Twenty
of his companions chose to return, feeling themselves powerless to withstand the
trials to which their chief continually alluded.
The news of their approach to the town of
Barfurush alarmed the Sa'idu'l-'Ulama'. The widespread and growing popularity
of Mulla Husayn, the circumstances attending his departure from Mashhad, the Black
Standard which waved before him--above all, the number, the discipline, and the
enthusiasm of his companions, combined to arouse the implacable hatred of that
cruel and overbearing mujtahid. He bade the crier summon the people of Barfurush
to the masjid and announce that a sermon of such momentous consequence was to
be delivered by him that no loyal adherent of Islam in that neighbourhood could
afford to ignore it. An immense crowd of men and women thronged the masjid, saw
him ascend the pulpit, fling his turban to the ground, tear open the neck of his
shirt, and bewail the plight into which the Faith had fallen. "Awake," he thundered
from the pulpit, for our enemies stand at our very doors, ready to wipe out all
that we cherish as pure and holy in Islam! Should we fail to resist them, none
will be left to survive their onslaught. He who is the leader of that band came
alone, one day, and attended my classes. He utterly ignored me and treated me
with marked disdain in the presence of my assembled disciples. As I refused to
accord him the honours which he expected, he angrily arose and flung me his challenge.
This man had the temerity, at a time when Muhammad Shah was seated upon his throne
and was at the height of his power, to assail me with so much bitterness. What
excesses this stirrer-up of mischief, who is now advancing at the head of his
savage band, will not commit now that the protecting hand of Muhammad Shah has
been suddenly withdrawn! It is the duty of all the inhabitants of Barfurush, both
young and old, both men and women, to arm themselves against these contemptible
wreckers of Islam, and by every means in their power to resist their onset. To-morrow,
at the hour of dawn, let all of you arise and march out to exterminate their forces."
The entire congregation arose in response
to his call. His passionate eloquence, the undisputed authority he exercised over
them, and the dread of the loss of their own lives and property, combined to induce
the inhabitants of that town to make every possible preparation for the coming
As soon as Mulla Husayn had determined to
pursue the way that led to Mazindaran, he, immediately after he had offered his
morning prayer, bade his companions discard all their possessions. "Leave behind
all your belongings," he urged them, "and content yourselves only with your steeds
and swords, that all may witness your renunciation of all earthly things, and
may realise that this little band of God's chosen companions has no desire to
safeguard its own property, much less to covet the property of others." Instantly
they all obeyed and, unburdening their steeds, arose and joyously followed him.
The father of Badi' was the first to throw aside his satchel, which contained
a considerable amount of turquoise which he had brought with him from the mine
that belonged to his father. One word from Mulla Husayn proved sufficient to induce
him to fling by the road-side what was undoubtedly his most treasured possession,
and to cling to the desire of his leader. At a farsang's(2)
distance from Barfurush, Mulla Husayn and his companions encountered their enemies.
A multitude of people, fully equipped with arms and ammunition, had gathered,
and blocked their way. A fierce expression of savagery rested upon their countenances,
and the foulest
Unsheathing his sword and spurring on his
charger into the midst of the enemy, Mulla Husayn pursued, with marvellous intrepidity,
the assailant of his fallen companion. His opponent, who was afraid to face him,
took refuge behind a tree and, holding aloft his musket, sought to shield himself.
Mulla Husayn immediately recognised him, rushed
I myself, when in Tihran, in the year 1265
A.H.,(2) a month after the
conclusion of the memorable struggle of Shaykh Tabarsi, heard Mirza Ahmad relate
the circumstances of this incident in the presence of a number of believers, among
whom were Mirza Muhammad-Husayn-i-Hakamiy-i-Kirmani, Haji Mulla Isma'il-i-Farahani,
Mirza Habibu'llah-i-Isfahani, and Siyyid Muhammad-i-Isfahani. When, at a later time, I visited
Khurasan and was staying at the home of Mulla Sadiq-i-Khurasani in Mashhad, where
I had been invited to teach the Cause, I asked Mirza Muhammad-i-Furughi,
"So convincing a testimony of the strength
of his opponent constituted, in the eyes of the Amir-Nizam, a challenge
Such a remarkable display of dexterity and
strength could not fail to attract the attention of a considerable number of observers
whose minds had remained, as yet, untainted by prejudice or malice. It evoked
the enthusiasm of poets who, in different cities of Persia, were moved to celebrate
the exploits of the author of so daring an act. Their poems helped to diffuse
the knowledge, and to immortalise the memory, of that mighty deed. Among those
who paid their tribute to the valour of Mulla Husayn was a certain Rida-Quli Khan-i-Lalih-Bashi,
who, in the "Tarikh-i-Nasiri," lavished his praise on the prodigious strength
and the unrivalled skill which had characterised that stroke. I ventured to ask Mirza Muhammad-i-Furughi
whether he was aware that in the "Nasikhu't-Tavarikh" mention had been made of
the fact that Mulla Husayn had, in his early youth, been instructed in the art
of swordsmanship, that he had acquired his proficiency only after a considerable
period of training. "This is sheer fabrication," affirmed Mulla Muhammad. "I have
known him from his childhood, and have been associated with him, as a classmate
and friend, for a long time. I have never known him to be possessed of such strength
and power. I even deem myself superior in vigour and bodily endurance. His hand
trembled as he wrote, and he often expressed his inability to write as fully and
as frequently as he wished. He was greatly handicapped in this respect, and he
continued to suffer from its effects until his journey to Mazindaran. The moment
he unsheathed
 |
his sword,
however, to repulse that savage attack, a mysterious power seemed to have
suddenly transformed him. In all subsequent encounters, he was seen to be
the first to spring forward and spur on his charger into the camp of the
aggressor. Unaided, he would face and fight the combined forces of his opponents
and would himself achieve the victory. We, who followed him in the rear,
had to content ourselves with those who had already been disabled and were
weakened by the blows they had sustained. His name alone was sufficient
to strike terror into the hearts of his adversaries. They fled at mention
of him; they trembled at his approach. Even those who were his constant
companions were mute with wonder before him. We were stunned by the display
of his stupendous force, his indomitable will and complete intrepidity.
We were all convinced that he had ceased to be the Mulla Husayn whom we
had known, and that in him resided a spirit which God alone could bestow."
This same Mirza Muhammad-i-Furughi related
to me the following: "Mulla Husayn had no sooner dealt his memorable blow
to his adversary than he disappeared from our sight. We knew not whither
he had gone. His attendant, Qambar-'Ali, alone could follow him. He subsequently
informed us that his master threw himself headlong upon his enemies, and
was able with a single stroke of his sword to strike down each of those
who dared assail him. Unmindful of the bullets that rained upon him, he
forced his way through the ranks of the enemy and headed for Barfurush.
He rode straight to the residence of the Sa'idu'l-'Ulama', thrice made the
circuit of his house, and cried out: `Let that contemptible |
The voice of Mulla Husayn drowned
the clamour of the multitude. The inhabitants of Barfurush surrendered and soon
raised the cry, "Peace, peace!" No sooner had the voice of surrender been raised
than the acclamations of the followers of Mulla Husayn, who at that moment were
seen galloping towards Barfurush, were heard from every side. The cry of "Ya Sahibu'z-Zaman!"(1) which they
shouted at the top of their voices, struck dismay into the hearts of those who
heard it. The companions of Mulla Husayn, who had abandoned the hope of again
finding him alive, were greatly surprised when they saw him seated erect upon
his horse, unhurt and unaffected by the fierceness of that onset. Each reverently
approached him and kissed his stirrups. On the afternoon of that day, the peace which
the inhabitants of Barfurush had implored was granted. To the crowd which had
gathered about him, Mulla Husayn spoke these words: "O followers of the Prophet
of God, and shi'ahs of the imams of His Faith! Why have you risen against us?
Why deem the shedding of our blood an act meritorious in the sight of God? Did
we ever repudiate the truth of your Faith? Is this the hospitality which the Apostle
of God has enjoined His followers to accord to both the faithful and the infidel?
What have we done to merit such condemnation on your part? Consider: I alone,
with no other weapon than my sword, have been able to face the rain of bullets
which the inhabitants of Barfurush have poured upon me, and have emerged unscathed
from the midst of the fire with which you have besieged me. Both my person and
my horse have escaped unhurt from your overwhelming attack. Except for the slight
scratch which I received on my face, you have
Immediately afterwards, Mulla Husayn proceeded
to the caravanserai of Sabzih-Maydan. He dismounted and, standing at the entrance
of the inn, awaited the arrival of his companions. As soon as they had gathered
and been accommodated in that place, he sent for bread and water. Those who had
been commissioned to fetch them returned empty-handed, and informed him that they
had been unable to procure either bread from the baker or water from the public
square. "You have exhorted us," they told him, "to put our trust in God and to
resign ourselves to His will. `Nothing can befall us but what God hath destined
for us. Our liege Lord is He; and on God let the faithful trust!'"(1)
Mulla Husayn ordered that the gates of the
caravanserai be closed. Assembling his companions, he begged them to remain gathered
in his presence until the hour of sunset. As the evening approached,
he asked whether any among them would be willing to arise and, renouncing his
life for the sake of his Faith, ascend to the roof of the caravanserai and sound
the adhan.(2) A youth gladly
responded. No sooner had the opening words of "Allah-u-Akbar" dropped from his
lips than a bullet suddenly struck him and immediately caused his death. "Let
another one among you arise,"
The fall of his third companion
decided Mulla Husayn to throw open the gate of the caravanserai, and to arise,
together with his friends, to repulse this unexpected attack from a treacherous
enemy. Leaping on horseback, he gave the signal to charge upon the assailants
who had massed before the gates and had filled the Sabzih-Maydan. Sword in hand,
and followed by his companions, he succeeded in decimating the forces that had
been arrayed against him. Those few who had escaped their swords fled before them
in panic, again pleading for peace, again imploring mercy. With the approach of
evening, the entire crowd had vanished. The Sabzih-Maydan, which a few hours before
overflowed with a seething mass of opponents, was now deserted. The clamour of
the multitude was stilled. Bestrewn with the bodies of the slain, the Maydan and
its surroundings offered a sad and moving spectacle, a scene which bore witness
to the victory of God over His enemies. So startling a victory(1)
induced a number of the nobles and chiefs of the people to intervene and beseech
the mercy of Mulla Husayn on behalf of their fellow-citizens. They came on foot
to submit to him their petition. "God is our witness," they pleaded, "that we
harbour no intention but
As soon as they had made their declaration,
their friends who had gone to fetch food for the companions and fodder for their
horses, arrived. Mulla Husayn bade his fellow-believers break their fast, inasmuch
as none of them that day, which was Friday, the twelfth of the month of Dhi'l-Qa'dih,(1)
had taken any meat or drink since the hour of dawn. So great was the number of
notables and their attendants that had crowded into the caravanserai that day
that neither he nor any of his companion had partaken of the tea which they had
offered to their visitors. That night, about four hours after sunset,
Mulla Husayn, together with his friends, dined in the company of Abbas-Quli Khan
and Haji Mustafa Khan. In the middle of that same night, the Sa'idu'l-'Ulama'
summoned Khusraw-i-Qadi-Kala'i and confidentially intimated to him his desire
that, at any time or place he himself might decide, the entire property of the
party which had been entrusted to his charge should be seized, and that they themselves,
without a single exception, should be put to death. "Are these not the followers
of Islam?" Khusraw observed. "Have not these same people, as I have already learned,
preferred to sacrifice three of their companions rather than leave unfinished
the call to prayer which they had raised? How could we, who cherish such designs
and perpetrate such acts, be regarded as worthy of that name?" That shameless
miscreant insisted that his orders be faithfully obeyed. "Slay them," he said,
as he pointed with his finger to his neck, "and be not afraid. I hold myself responsible
for your act. I will, on the Day of Judgment, be answerable to God in your name.
We, who wield the sceptre of authority, are surely better informed than you, and
can better judge how best to extirpate this heresy." At the hour of sunrise, Abbas-Quli Khan asked
that Khusraw be conducted into his presence, and bade him exercise the utmost
consideration towards Mulla Husayn and his companions, to ensure their safe passage
through Shir-Gah, and to refuse whatever rewards they might wish to offer him.
When Khusraw was taken by Abbas-Quli Khan
and Haji Mustafa Khan and other representative leaders of Barfurush into the presence
of Mulla Husayn and was introduced to him, the latter remarked: "`If ye do well,
it will redound to your own advantage; and if ye do evil, the evil will return
upon you."(1) If this man
should treat us well, great shall be his reward; and if he act treacherously towards
us, great shall be his punishment. To God would we commit our Cause, and to His
will are we wholly resigned." Mulla Husayn spoke these words and gave the
signal for departure. Once more Qambar-'Ali was heard to raise the call of his
master, "Mount your steeds, O heroes of God!"-- a summons which he invariably
called out on such occasions. At the sound of those words, they all hurried to
their steeds. A detachment of Khusraw's horsemen marched before them. They were
immediately followed by Khusraw and Mulla Husayn, who rode abreast in the centre
of the company. In their rear followed the rest of the companions, and on their
right and left marched the remainder of the hundred horsemen whom Khusraw had
armed as willing instruments for the execution of his design. It had been agreed
that the party should start early in the morning from Barfurush and arrive on
the same day at noon at Shir-Gah. Two hours after sunrise, they started for their
destination. Khusraw intentionally took the way of the forest, a route which he
thought would better serve his purpose. As soon as they had penetrated it, he gave
the signal for attack. His men fiercely threw themselves upon the companions,
seized their property, killed a number, among whom was the brother of Mulla Sadiq,
and captured the rest. As soon as the cry of agony and distress reached his ears,
Mulla Husayn halted, and, alighting from his horse, protested against Khusraw's
treacherous behaviour. "The hour of midday is long past," he told him; "we still
have not attained
Mulla Husayn was still in the act of prayer
when the cry of "Ya Sahibu'z-Zaman"(3)
was raised again by his companions. They threw themselves upon their treacherous
assailants and in one onslaught struck them all down except the attendant who
had prepared the qulayn. Affrighted and defenceless, he fell at the feet of Mulla
Husayn and implored his aid. He was given the bejewelled qulayn which belonged
to his master and was bidden to return to Barfurush and recount to Abbas-Quli
Khan all that he had witnessed. "Tell him," said Mulla Husayn, "how faithfully
Khusraw discharged his mission. That false miscreant foolishly imagined that my
mission had come to an end, that both my sword and my horse had fulfilled their
function. Little did he know that their work had but just begun, that until the
services which they can render are entirely accomplished, neither his power nor
the power of any man beside him can wrest them from me." As the night was approaching, the party decided
to tarry in that spot until the hour of dawn. At daybreak, after Mulla Husayn
had offered his prayer, he gathered his companions
On the very day of their arrival, which was
the fourteenth of Dhi'l-Qa'dih,(1)
Mulla Husayn gave Mirza Muhammad-Baqir, who had built the Babiyyih, the preliminary
instruc-
Fearing that their assailants might again
turn on them and resort to a general massacre, they pursued them until they reached
a village which they thought to be the village of Qadi-Kala. At the sight of them,
all the men fled in wild terror. The mother of Nazar Khan, the owner of the village,
was inadvertently killed in the darkness of the night, amid the confusion that
ensued. The outcries of the women, who were violently protesting that they had
no connection whatever with the people of Qadi-Kala, soon reached the ears of
Mirza Muhammad-Taqi, who immediately ordered his companions to withhold their
hands until they ascertained the name and character of the place. They soon found
out that the village belonged to Nazar Khan and that the woman who had lost her
life was his mother. Greatly distressed at the discovery of so grievous a mistake
on the part of his companions, Mirza Muhammad-Taqi sorrowfully exclaimed: "We
did not intend to molest either the men or the women of this village. Our sole
purpose was to curb the violence of the people of Qadi-Kala, who were about to
put us all to death." He apologised earnestly for the pitiful tragedy which his
companions had unwittingly enacted. Nazar Khan, who in the meantime had concealed
himself in his house, was convinced of the sincerity of the regrets expressed
by Mirza Muhammad-Taqi. Though suffering from this grievous loss, he was moved
to call upon him and to invite him to his home. He even asked Mirza Muhammad-Taqi
to introduce him to Mulla Husayn, and expressed a keen desire to be made acquainted
with the precepts of a Cause that could kindle such fervour in the breasts of
its adherents. At the hour of dawn, Mirza Muhammad-Taqi,
accompanied by Nazar Khan, arrived at the shrine of Shaykh Tabarsi, and found
Mulla Husayn leading the congregational prayer. Such was the rapture that glowed
upon his countenance
Mulla Husayn ordered his companions to commence
the building of the fort which had been designed. To every group he assigned a
section of the work, and encouraged them to hasten its completion. In the course
of these operations, they were continually harassed by the people of the neighbouring
villages, who, at the persistent instigations of the Sa'idu'l-'Ulama', marched
out and fell upon them. Every attack of the enemy ended in failure and shame.
Undeterred by the fierceness of their repeated onsets, the companions valiantly
withstood their assaults until they had succeeded in subjugating temporarily the
forces which had hemmed them in on every side. When the work of construction was
completed, Mulla Husayn undertook the necessary preparations for the siege which
the fort was destined to sustain, and provided, despite the obstacles which stood
in his way, whatever seemed essential for the safety of its occupants. The work had scarcely been completed when
Shaykh Abu-Turab arrived bearing the news of Baha'u'llah's arrival at the village
of Nazar Khan. He informed Mulla Husayn
Baha'u'llah, in the course of that visit,
inspected the fort and expressed His satisfaction with the work that had been
accomplished. In His conversation with Mulla Husayn, He explained in detail such
matters as were vital to the welfare and safety of his companions. `The one thing
this fort and company require,' He said, `is the presence of Quddus. His association
with this company would render it complete and perfect.' He instructed Mulla Husayn
to despatch Mulla Mihdiy-i-Khu'i with six people to Sari, and to demand Mirza
Muhammad-Taqi that he immediately deliver Quddus into their hands. `The fear of
God and the dread of His punishment,' He assured Mulla Husayn, `will prompt him
to surrender unhesitatingly his captive.' "Ere He departed, Baha'u'llah enjoined them
to be patient and resigned to the will of the Almighty. `If it be His will,' He
added, `We shall once again visit you at this same spot, and shall lend you Our
assistance. You have been chosen of God to be the vanguard of His host and the
establishers of His Faith. His host verily will conquer. Whatever may befall,
victory is yours, a victory which is complete and certain.' With these words,
He committed those valiant companions to the care of God, and returned to the
village with Nazar Khan and Shaykh Abu-Turab. From thence He departed by way of
Nur to Tihran." Mulla Husayn set out immediately to carry
out the instructions he had received. Summoning Mulla Mihdi, he bade him proceed
together with six other companions to Sari and ask that the mujtahid liberate
his prisoner. As soon as the message was conveyed to him, Mirza Muhammad-Taqi
While in Sari, Quddus frequently
attempted to convince Mirza Muhammad-Taqi of the truth of the Divine Message.
He freely conversed with him on the most weighty and outstanding issues related
to the Revelation of the Bab. His bold and challenging remarks were couched in
such gentle, such persuasive and courteous language, and delivered with such geniality
and humour, that those who heard him felt not in the least offended. They even
misconstrued his allusions to the sacred Book as humorous observations intended
to entertain his hearers. Mirza Muhammad-Taqi, despite the cruelty and wickedness
that were latent in him and which he subsequently manifested by the stand he took
in insisting upon the extermination of the remnants of the defenders of the fort
of Shaykh Tabarsi, was withheld by an inner power from showing the least disrespect
to Quddus while the latter was confined in his home. He even was prompted to prevent
The news of the impending
arrival of Quddus bestirred the occupants of the fort of Tabarsi. As he drew near
his destination, he sent forward a messenger to announce his approach. The joyful
tidings gave them new courage and strength. Roused to a burst of enthusiasm which
he could not repress, Mulla Husayn started to his feet and, escorted by about
a hundred of his companions, hastened to meet the expected visitor. He placed
two candles in the hands of each, lighted them himself, and bade them proceed
to meet Quddus. The darkness of the night was dispelled by the radiance which
those joyous hearts shed as they marched forth to meet their beloved. In the midst
of the forest of Mazindaran, their eyes instantly recognised the face which they
had longed to behold. They pressed eagerly around his steed, and with every mark
of devotion aid him their tribute of love and undying allegiance. Still holding
the lighted candles in their hands, they followed him on foot towards their destination.
Quddus, as he rode along in their midst, appeared as the day-star that shines
amidst its satellites. As the company slowly wended its way towards the fort,
there broke forth the hymn of glorification and praise intoned by the band of
his enthusiastic admirers. "Holy, holy, the Lord our God, the Lord of the angels
and the spirit!" rang their jubilant voices around him. Mulla Husayn raised the
glad refrain, to which the entire company responded. The forest of Mazindaran
re-echoed to the sound of their acclamations. In this manner they reached the shrine of
Shaykh Tabarsi. The first words that fell from the lips of Quddus after he had
dismounted and leaned against the shrine were the following: "The Baqiyyatu'llah(1)
will be best for you if ye are of those who believe."(2)
By this utterance was fulfilled the prophecy of Muhammad as recorded in the following
tradition: "And when the Mihdi(3)
is made manifest, He shall lean His back against the Ka'bih and shall address
to the three hundred and thirteen followers who will have grouped around Him,
these words: `The Baqiyyatu'llah will be best for you if
"Shortly after, Quddus entrusted to Mulla
Husayn a number of homilies which he asked him to read aloud to his assembled
companions. The first homily he read was entirely devoted to the Bab, the second
concerned Baha'u'llah, and the third referred to Tahirih. We ventured to express
to Mulla Husayn our doubts whether the references in the second homily were applicable
to Baha'u'llah, who appeared clothed in the garb of nobility. The matter was reported
to Quddus, who assured us that, God willing, its secret would be revealed to us
in due time. Utterly unaware, in those days, of the character of the Mission of
Baha'u'llah, we were unable to understand the meaning of those allusions, and
idly conjectured as to what could be their probable significance. In my eagerness
to unravel the subtleties of the traditions concerning the promised Qa'im, I several
times approached Quddus and requested him to enlighten me regarding that subject.
Though at first reluctant, he eventually acceded to my wish. The manner of his
answer, his convincing and illuminating explanations, served to heighten the sense
of awe and of veneration which his presence inspired. He dispelled whatever doubts
lingered in our minds, and such were the evidences of his perspicacity that we
came to believe that to him had been given the power to read our profoundest thoughts
and to calm the fiercest tumult in our hearts. "Many a night I saw Mulla Husayn circle round
the shrine within the precincts of which Quddus lay asleep. How often did I see
him emerge in the mid-watches of the night from his chamber and quietly direct
his steps to that spot and whisper the same verse with which we all had greeted
Quddus, on his arrival at the shrine of Shaykh
Tabarsi, charged Mulla Husayn to ascertain the number of the assembled companions.
One by one he counted them and passed them in through the gate of the fort: three
hundred and twelve in all. He himself was entering the fort in order to acquaint
Quddus with the result, when a youth, who had hastened all the way on foot from
Barfurush, suddenly rushed in and seizing the hem of his garment, pleaded to be
enrolled among the companions and to be allowed to lay down his life, whenever
required, in the path of the Beloved. His wish was readily granted. When Quddus
was informed of the total number of the companions, he remarked: "Whatever the
tongue of the Prophet of God has spoken concerning the promised One must needs
be fulfilled,(2) that thereby
His testimony may be complete in the eyes of those divines who esteem themselves
as the sole interpreters of the law and traditions of Islam. Through them will
the people recognise the truth and acknowledge the fulfilment of these traditions."(3)
Every morning and every afternoon during those
days, Quddus would summon Mulla Husayn and the most distinguished among his companions
and ask them to chant the writings of the Bab. Seated in the Maydan, the open
square adjoining the fort, and surrounded by his devoted friends, he would listen
intently to the utterances of his Master and would occasionally be heard to comment
upon them. Neither the threats of the enemy nor the fierceness of their successive
onsets could induce him to abate the fervour, or to break the regularity, of his
devotions. Despising all danger and oblivious of his own needs and wants, he continued,
even under the most distressing circumstances, his daily communion with his Beloved,
wrote his praises of Him, and roused to fresh exertions the defenders of the fort.
Though exposed to the bullets that kept ceaselessly raining upon his besieged
companions, he, undeterred by the ferocity of the attack, pursued his labours
in a state of unruffled calm. "My soul is wedded to Thy mention!" he was wont
to exclaim. "Remembrance of Thee is the stay and solace of my life! I glory in
that I was the first to suffer ignominiously for Thy
He would sometimes ask his Iraqi companions
to chant various passages of the Qur'an, to which he would listen with close attention,
and would often be moved to unfold their meaning. In the course of one of their
chantings, they came across the following verse: "With somewhat of fear and hunger,
and loss of wealth and lives and fruits, will We surely prove you: but bear good
tidings to the patient." "These words," Quddus would remark, "were originally
revealed with reference to Job and the afflictions that befell him. In this day,
however, they are applicable to us, who are destined to suffer those same afflictions.
Such will be the measure of our calamity that none but he who has been endowed
with constancy and patience will be able to survive them." The knowledge and sagacity which Quddus displayed
on those occasions, the confidence with which he spoke, and the resource and enterprise
which he demonstrated in the instructions he gave to his companions, reinforced
his authority and enhanced his prestige. These at first supposed that the profound
The completion of the fort, and the provision
of whatever was deemed essential for its defence, animated the enthusiasm of the
companions of Mulla Husayn and excited the curiosity of the people of the neighbourhood.(1)
A few out of sheer curiosity, others in pursuit of material interest, and still
others prompted by their devotion to the Cause which that building symbolised,
sought to be admitted within its walls and marvelled at the rapidity with which
it had been raised. Quddus had no sooner ascertained the number of its occupants
The providential manner in
which the occupants of the fort were relieved of the distress which weighed upon
them fanned to fury the wrath of the wilful and imperious Sa'idu'l-'Ulama'. Impelled
by an implacable hatred, he addressed a burning appeal to Nasiri'd-Din Shah, who
had recently ascended the throne, and expatiated upon the danger with which his
dynasty, nay the monarchy itself, was menaced. "The standard of revolt," he pleaded,
"has been raised by the contemptible sect of the Babis. This wretched band of
irresponsible agitators has dared to strike at the very foundations of the authority
with which your Imperial Majesty has been invested. The inhabitants of a number
of villages in the immediate vicinity of their headquarters have already flown
to their standard and sworn allegiance to their cause. They have built themselves
a fort, and in that massive stronghold they have entrenched themselves, ready
to direct a campaign against you. With unswerving obstinacy they
Nasiri'd-Din Shah, as yet inexperienced in
the affairs of State, referred the matter to the officers who commanded the army
of Mazindaran and who were in attendance upon him.(1)
He instructed them to take whatever means they deemed fit for the eradication
of the disturbers of his realm. Haji Mustafa Khan-i-Turkaman submitted his views
to his sovereign: "I myself come from Mazindaran. I have been able to estimate
the forces at their disposal. The handful of untrained and frail-bodied students
whom I have seen are utterly powerless to withstand the forces which your Majesty
can command. The army which you contemplate despatching is in my view unnecessary.
A small detachment of that army will be sufficient to wipe them out. They are
utterly unworthy of the care and consideration of my sovereign. Should your Majesty
be willing to signify your desire, in an imperial message addressed to my brother
Abdu'llah Khan-i-Turkaman,
The Shah gave his consent, and issued his
farman(1) to that same
Abdu'llah Khan, bidding him to recruit without delay, from any part of his realm,
the forces he might require for the execution of his purpose. He sent with his
message a royal badge, which he bestowed upon him as a mark of confidence in his
capacity to undertake that task. The re-
The army was ordered to set up a number of
barricades in front of the fort and to open fire upon anyone who chanced to leave
its gate. Quddus forbade his companions to go out in order to fetch water from
the neighbourhood. "Our bread has been intercepted by our enemy," complained Rasul-i-Bahnimiri.
"What will befall us if water should likewise be denied us?" Quddus, who was at
that time, the hour of sunset, viewing the army of the enemy in company with Mulla
Husayn from the terrace of the fort, turned to him and said: "The scarcity of
water has distressed our companions. God willing, this very night a downpour of
rain will overtake our opponents, followed by a heavy snowfall, which will assist
us to repulse their contemplated assault." That very night, the army of Abdu'llah Khan
was surprised by a torrential rain which overwhelmed that section which lay close
to the fort. Much of the ammunition was irretrievably ruined. There gathered within
the walls of the fort an amount of water which, for a long period, was sufficient
for the consumption of the besieged. In the course of the following night, a snowfall
such as the people of the neighbourhood even in the depth of winter had never
experienced, added considerably to the annoyance which the rain had caused. The
next night, which was the evening preceding the fifth of Muharram, in the year
1265 A.H.,(1) Quddus determined
to leave the gate of the fort. "Praise be to God," he remarked to Rasul-i-Bahnimiri
as he paced with calm and serenity the approaches to the gate, "who has graciously
answered our prayer and caused both rain and snow to fall upon our enemies; a
fall that has brought desolation into their camp and refreshment into our fort."
As the hour of the attack approached for which
that numerous army, despite the losses it had sustained, was strenuously preparing,
Quddus determined to sally out and
Quddus returned to the fort while Mulla Husayn
was still engaged in pursuing the work which had been so valiantly performed.
The voice of Siyyid Abdu'l-'Azim-i-Khu'i was soon raised summoning him, on behalf
of Quddus, to return immediately to the fort. "We have repulsed the assailants,"
Despite this defeat, not one of the followers
of the Bab lost his life in the course of that encounter. No one except a man
named Quli, who rode in advance of Quddus, was badly wounded. They were all commanded
to take none of the property of their adversaries excepting their swords and horses.
As the signs of the reassembling of the forces
which had been commanded by Abdu'llah Khan became apparent, Quddus bade his companions
dig a moat around the fort as a safeguard against a renewed attack. Nineteen days
elapsed during which they exerted themselves to the utmost for the completion
of the task they had been charged to perform. They joyously laboured by day and
by night in order to expedite the work with which they had been entrusted. Soon after the work was completed,
it was announced that Prince Mihdi-Quli Mirza(1)
was advancing towards the fort at the head of a numerous army, and had actually
encamped at Shir-Gah. A few days later, he had transferred his headquarters to
Vas-Kas. On his arrival, he sent one of his men to inform Mulla Husayn that he
had been commanded by the Shah to ascertain the purpose of his activities and
to request that he be enlightened as to the object he had in view. "Tell your
master," Mulla Husayn replied, "that we utterly disclaim any intention either
of subverting
The promise given by the messenger was destined
to remain unfulfilled. Three days after, Prince Mihdi-Quli Mirza prepared to launch
his attack, on a scale hitherto unprecedented, upon the occupants of the fort.
At the head of three regiments of infantry and several regiments of cavalry, he
quartered his host upon a height that overlooked that spot, and gave the signal
to open fire in that direction. The day had not yet broken when at the signal,
"Mount your steeds, O heroes of God!" Quddus ordered that the gates of the fort
be again thrown open. Mulla Husayn and two hundred and two of his companions ran
to their horses and followed Quddus as he rode out in the direction of Vas-Kas.
Undaunted by the overwhelming forces arrayed against them, and undeterred by the
snow and mud which had accumulated on the roads, they headed, without a pause,
in the midst of the darkness that surrounded them, towards the stronghold which
served as a base for the operations of the enemy.
The prince, who was observing the movements
of Mulla Husayn, saw him approaching, from his fort, and ordered his men to open
fire upon him. The bullets which they discharged were powerless to check his advance.
He forced his way through the gate and rushed into the private apartments of the
prince, who, with a sudden sense that his life was in danger, threw himself from
a back window into the moat and escaped barefooted.(1)
His host, deprived of their leader and struck with panic, fled in disgraceful
rout before that little band which, despite their own overwhelming numbers and
the resources which the imperial treasury had placed at their disposal, they were
unable to subdue.(2) As the victors were forcing their way through
the section of the fort reserved for the prince, two other princes of royal blood(3)
fell in an attempt to strike down their opponents. As they penetrated his apartments,
they discovered, in one
They were throwing open the gate of the prison
which had been in the hands of the enemy, when they heard the voice of Mulla Yusuf-i-Ardibili,
who had been made a captive on his way to the fort and was languishing among the
prisoners. He interceded for his fellow-sufferers and succeeded in obtaining their
immediate release. On the morning of that memorable
engagement, Mulla Husayn assembled his companions around Quddus in the outskirts
of Vas-Kas, while he remained himself on horseback in anticipation of a renewed
attack by the enemy. He was watching their movements, when he suddenly observed
an innumerable host rushing from both sides towards him. All sprang to their feet
and, raising again the cry of "Ya Sahibu'z-Zaman!" pressed forward to face the
challenge. Mulla Husayn spurred his charger in one direction, and Quddus and his
companions in another. The detachment which was charging Mulla Husayn suddenly
deflected its course and, fleeing from before him, joined forces with the rest
of the enemy and encompassed Quddus and those who were with him. At a given moment,
they discharged a thousand bullets, one of which struck Quddus in the mouth, knocking
out several of his teeth and wounding both his tongue and throat. The loud noise
which the simultaneous discharge of a thousand bullets produced, and which could
be heard at a distance of ten farsangs,(1)
filled with apprehension Mulla Husayn, who hastened to the rescue of his friends.
As soon as he reached them, he alighted from his horse and, entrusting it to his
attendant, Qambar-'Ali, ran towards Quddus. The sight of blood dripping profusely
from the mouth of his beloved chief
The disgraceful retreat of the army of Prince
Mihdi-Quli Mirza enabled Mulla Husayn and his companions to repair to the fort.
With pain and regret, they conducted their wounded leader to the shelter of his
stronghold. On his arrival, Quddus addressed a written appeal to his friends who
were bewailing his injury, and by his words of cheer soothed their sorrow. "We
should submit," he exhorted them, "to whatever is the will of God. We should stand
firm and steadfast in the hour of trial. The stone of the infidel broke the teeth
of the Prophet of God; mine have fallen as a result of the bullet of the enemy.
Though my body be afflicted, my soul is immersed in gladness. My gratitude to
God knows no bounds. If you love me, suffer not that this joy be obscured by the
sight of your lamentations." This memorable engagement
fell on the twenty-fifth of Muharram, 1265 A.H.(1)
In the beginning of that same month, Baha'u'llah, faithful to the promise He had
given to Mulla Husayn, set out, attended by a number of His friends, from Nur
for the fort of Tabarsi. Among those who accompanied Him were Haji Mirza Janiy-i-Kashani,
Mulla Baqir-i-Tabrizi, one of the Letters of the Living, and Mirza Yahya, His
brother. Baha'u'llah had signified His wish that they should proceed directly
to their destination and allow no pause in their journey. His intention was to
reach that spot at night, inasmuch as strict orders had been issued, ever since
Abdu'llah
As He watched beside them, the secret emissaries
of the enemy informed the guards of the neighbourhood of the arrival of the party,
and ordered the immediate seizure of whatever they could find in their possession.
"We have received strict orders, they told Baha'u'llah, whom they recognised instantly
as the leader of the group, "to arrest every person we chance to meet in this
vicinity, and are commanded to conduct him, without any previous investigation,
to Amul and deliver him into the hands of its governor." "The matter has been
misrepresented in your eyes," Baha'u'llah remarked. "You have misconstrued our
purpose. I would advise you to act in a manner that will cause you eventually
no regret." This admonition, uttered with dignity and calm, induced the chief
of the guards to treat with consideration and courtesy those whom he had arrested.
He bade them mount their horses and proceed with him to Amul. As they were approaching
the banks of a river, Baha'u'llah signalled to His companions, who were riding
at a distance from the guards, to cast into the water whatever manuscripts they
had in their possession. At daybreak, as they were approaching the
town, a message was sent in advance to the acting governor, informing him of the
arrival of a party that had been captured on their way to the fort of Tabarsi.
The governor himself, together with the members of his body-guard, had been appointed
to join the army of Prince Mihdi-Quli Mirza, and had commissioned hiskinsman to
act in his absence. As
The circumstances which Baha'u'llah proceeded
to relate in connection with the reply, no less than the manner of His delivery,
convinced the arrogant mujtahid of his stupidity and blunder. Unable to contradict
so weighty a statement, he preferred to keep silent. A siyyid angrily interjected:
"This very statement conclusively demonstrates that its author is himself a Babi
and no less than a leading expounder of the tenets of that sect." He urged in
vehement language that its followers be put to death. "These obscure sectarians
are the sworn enemies," he cried, "both of the State and of the Faith of Islam!
We must, at all costs, extirpate that heresy." He was seconded in his denunciation
by the other siyyids who were present, and who, emboldened by the imprecations
uttered at that gathering, insisted that the governor comply unhesitatingly with
their wishes. The acting governor was much embarrassed,
and realised that any evidence of indulgence on his part would be fraught with
grave consequences for the safety of his position. In his desire to hold in check
the passions which had been aroused, he ordered his attendants to prepare the
rods and promptly inflict a befitting punishment upon the captives. "We will afterwards,"
he added, "keep them in prison pending the return of the governor, who will send
them to Tihran,
The first who was bound to receive the bastinado
was Mulla Baqir. "I am only a groom of Baha'u'llah," he urged. "I was on my way
to Mashhad when they suddenly arrested me and brought me to this place." Baha'u'llah
intervened and succeeded in inducing his oppressors to release him. He likewise
interceded for Haji Mirza Jani, who He said was "a mere tradesman" whom He regarded
as His "guest," so that He was "responsible for any charges brought against him."
Mirza Yahya, whom they proceeded to bind, was also set free as soon as Baha'u'llah
had declared him to be His attendant. "None of these men," He told the acting
governor, "are guilty of any crime. If you insist on inflicting your punishment,
I offer Myself as a willing Victim of your chastisement." The acting governor
was reluctantly compelled to give orders that Baha'u'llah alone be chosen to suffer
the indignity which he had intended originally for His companions.(1)
The same treatment that had been me-ed out
to the Bab five months previously in Tabriz, Baha'u'llah suffered in the presence
of the assembled ulamas of Amul. The first confinement that the Bab suffered at
the hands of His enemies was in the house of Abdu'l-Hamid Khan, the chief constable
of Shiraz; the first confinement of Baha'u'llah was in the home of one of the
kad-khudas of Tihran. The Bab's second imprisonment was in the castle of Mah-Ku;
that of Baha'u'llah was in the private residence of the governor of Amul. The
Bab was scourged in the namaz-khanih(2)
of the Shaykhu'l-Islam of Tabriz; the same indignity was inflicted on Baha'u'llah
in the namaz-khanih of the mujtahid of Amul. The Bab's third confinement was in
the castle of Chihriq; Baha'u'llah's was in the Siyah-Chal(3)
of Tihran. The Bab, whose trials and sufferings had preceded, in almost every
case,
| those
of Baha'u'llah, had of-fered Himself to ransom His Beloved from the perils
that beset that precious Life; whilst Baha'u'llah, on His part, unwilling
that He who so greatly loved Him should be the sole Sufferer, shared at
every turn the cup that had touched His lips. Such love no eye has ever
beheld, nor has mortal heart conceived such mutual devotion. If the branches
of every tree were turned into pens, and all the seas into ink, and earth
and heaven rolled into one parchment, the immensity of that love would still
remain unexplored, and the depths of that devotion unfathomed. Baha'u'llah and His companions remained
for a time imprisoned in one of the rooms that formed part of the masjid.
|
 |
Despite the protestations of the mob, the
rest of the prisoners were taken to the seat of government, and thus escaped from
the perils with which they had been threatened. The acting governor offered profuse
apologies to Baha'u'llah for the treatment which the people of Amul had accorded
Him. "But for the interposition of Providence," he said, "no force would have
achieved your deliverance from the grasp of this malevolent people. But for the
efficacy of the vow which I had made to risk my own life for your sake, I, too,
would have fallen a victim to their violence, and would have been trampled beneath
their feet." He bitterly complained of the outrageous conduct of the siyyids of
Amul, and denounced the baseness of their character. He expressed himself as being
continually tormented by the effects of their malignant designs. He set about
serving Baha'u'llah with devotion and kindness, and was often heard, in the course
of his conversation with Him, to remark: "I am far from regarding you a prisoner
in my home. This house, I believe, was built for the very purpose of affording
you a shelter from the designs of your foes."
I have heard Baha'u'llah Himself recount the
following: "No prisoner has ever been accorded the treatment which I received
at the hands of the acting governor of Amul. He treated Me with the utmost consideration
and esteem. I was generously entertained by him, and the fullest attention was
given to everything that affected My security and comfort. I was, however, unable
to leave the gate of the house. My host was afraid lest the governor, who was
related to Abbas-Quli Khan-i-Larijani, might return from the fort of Tabarsi and
inflict injury upon Me. I tried to dispel his apprehensions. `The same Omnipotence,'
I assured him, `who has delivered us from the hands of the mischief-makers of
Amul, and has enabled us to be received with such hospitality by you in this house,
is able to change the heart of the governor and to cause him to treat us with
no less consideration and love.' "One night we were suddenly awakened by the
clamour of the people who had gathered outside the gate of the house. The door
was opened, and it was announced that the governor had returned to Amul. Our companions,
who were anticipating a fresh attack upon them, were completely surprised to hear
the voice of the governor rebuking those who had denounced us so bitterly on the
day of our arrival. `For what reason,' we heard him loudly remonstrating, `have
these miserable wretches chosen to treat so disrespectfully a guest whose hands
are tied and who has not been given the chance to defend himself? What is their
justification for having demanded that he be immediately put to death? What evidence
have they with which to support their contention? If they be sincere in their
claims to be devotedly attached to Islam and to be the guardians of its interests,
let them betake themselves to the fort of Shaykh Tabarsi and there demonstrate
their capacity to defend the Faith of which they profess to be the champions.'"
What he had seen of the heroism of the defenders
of the fort had quite changed the mind and heart of the governor of Amul. He returned
filled with admiration for a Cause which he had formerly despised, and the progress
of which he had strenuously resisted. The scenes he witnessed had disarmed his
wrath and chastened his pride. Humbly and
Baha'u'llah's intention to throw in His lot
with the defenders of the fort of Shaykh Tabarsi was destined to remain unfulfilled.
Though Himself extremely desirous to lend every possible assistance in His power
to the besieged, He was spared, through the mysterious dispensation of Providence,
the tragic fate that was soon to befall the chief participators in that memorable
struggle. Had He been able to reach the fort, had He been allowed to join the
members of that heroic band, how could He have played His part in the great drama
which He was destined to unfold? How could He have consummated the work that had
been so gloriously conceived and so marvellously inaugurated? He was in the heyday
of His life when the call from Shiraz reached Him. At the age of twenty-seven,
He arose to consecrate His life to its service, fearlessly identified Himself
with its teachings, and distinguished Himself by the exemplary part He played
in its diffusion. No effort was too great for the energy with which He was endowed,
and no sacrifice too woeful for the devotion with which His faith had inspired
Him. He flung aside every consideration of fame, of wealth, and position, for
the prosecution of the task He had set His heart to achieve. Neither the taunts
of His friends nor the threats of His enemies could induce Him to cease championing
a Cause which they alike regarded as that of an obscure and proscribed sect. The first incarceration to which He was subjected
as a result of the helping hand He had extended to the captives of Qazvin; the
ability with which He achieved the deliverance of Tahirih; the exemplary manner
in which He steered the course of the turbulent proceedings in Badasht; the manner
in which He saved the life of Quddus in Niyala; the wisdom which He showed in
His handling of the delicate situation created by the impetuosity of Tahirih,
and the vigilance He
