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CHAPTER III
THE DECLARATION OF THE BAB'S MISSION
HE
death of Siyyid Kazim was the signal for renewed activity on the part of his enemies.
Athirst for leadership, and emboldened by his removal and the consequent dismay
of his followers, they reasserted their claims and prepared to realise their ambitions.
For a time, fear and anxiety filled the hearts of Siyyid Kazim's faithful disciples,
but with the return of Mulla Husayn-i-Bushru'i from the highly successful mission
with which he had been entrusted by his teacher, their gloom was dispelled.(1)
It was on the first day of Muharram, in the year 1260 A.H.,(2) that Mulla Husayn came back to Karbila. He cheered and stre
ngthened the disconsolate disciples of his beloved chief,
reminded them of his unfailing promise, and pleaded for unrelaxing
vigilance and unremitting effort in their search for
the concealed Beloved. Living in the close neighbourhood
of the house the Siyyid had occupied, he, for three days,
was engaged continually in receiving visits from a considerable
number of mourners who hastened to convey to him, as
the leading representative of the Siyyid's disciples, the expression
of their distress and sorrow. He afterwards summoned
a group of his most distinguished and trusted fellow-disciples
and enquired about the expressed wishes and the
last exhortations of their departed leader. They told him
that, repeatedly and emphatically, Siyyid Kazim had bidden
them quit their homes, scatter far and wide, purge their
hearts from every idle desire, and dedicate themselves to the
quest of Him to whose advent he had so often alluded. "He
told us," they said, "that the Object of our quest was now
48
revealed. The veils that intervened between you and Him
are such as only you can remove by your devoted search.
Nothing short of prayerful endeavour, of purity of motive,
of singleness of mind, will enable you to tear them asunder.
Has not God revealed in His Book: `Whoso maketh efforts
for Us, in Our ways will We guide them'?" (1) "Why, then," Mulla Husayn observed, "have you chosen to tarry in Karbila? Why is it that you have not dispersed, and arisen to carry
out his earnest plea?" "We acknowledge our failure," was
their reply; "to your greatness we all bear witness. Such is
our confidence in you, that if you claim to be the promised
One, we shall all readily and unquestionably submit. We
herein pledge our loyalty and obedience to whatever you bid
us perform." "God forbid!" exclaimed Mulla Husayn. "Far
be it from His glory that I, who am but dust, should be compared
to Him who is the Lord of Lords! Had you been conversant
with the tone and language of Siyyid Kazim, you
never would have uttered such words. Your first obligation,
as well as mine, is to arise and carry out, both in the spirit
and in the letter, the dying message of our beloved chief."
He arose instantly from his seat, and went directly to Mirza
Hasan-i-Gawhar, Mirza Muhit, and other well-known figures
among the disciples of Siyyid Kazim. To each and all he
fearlessly delivered the parting message of his chief, emphasised
the pressing character of their duty, and urged them to
arise and fulfil it. To his plea they returned evasive and unworthy
answers. "Our enemies," one of them remarked, "are
many and powerful. We must remain in this city and guard
the vacant seat of our departed chief." Another observed:
"It is incumbent upon me to stay and care for the children
whom the Siyyid has left behind." Mulla Husayn immediately
recognised the futility of his efforts. Realising the degree
of their folly, their blindness and ingratitude, he spoke
to them no more. He retired, leaving them to their idle
pursuits.
As the year sixty, the year that witnessed the birth of the
promised Revelation, had just dawned upon the world, it
would not seem inappropriate, at this juncture, to digress
from our theme, and to mention certain traditions of Muhammad
49
and of the imams of the Faith which bear specific
reference to that year. Imam Ja'far, son of Muhammad,
when questioned concerning the year in which the Qa'im was
to be made manifest, replied as follows: "Verily, in the year
sixty His Cause shall be revealed, and His name shall be
noised abroad." In the works of the learned and far-famed
Muhyi'd-Din-i-'Arabi, many references are to be found regarding
both the year of the advent and the name of the
promised Manifestation. Among them are the following:
"The ministers and upholders of His Faith shall be of the
people of Persia." "In His name, the name of the Guardian
[ Ali] precedeth that of the Prophet [ Muhammad]." "The
year of His Revelation is identical with half of that number
which is divisible by nine [2520]." Mirza Muhammad-i-Akhbari,
in his poems relating to the year of the Manifestation,
50
makes the following prediction: "In the year Ghars
[the numerical value of the letters of which is 1260] the earth
shall be illumined by His light, and in Gharasih [1265] the
world shall be suffused with its glory. If thou livest until
the year Gharasi [1270], thou shalt witness how the nations,
the rulers, the peoples, and the Faith of God shall all have
been renewed." In a tradition ascribed to the Imam Ali,
the Commander of the Faithful, it is likewise recorded:
"In Ghars the Tree of Divine guidance shall be planted."
Mulla Husayn, having acquitted himself of the obligation
he felt to urge and awaken his fellow-disciples, set out from
Karbila for Najaf. With him were Muhammad-Hasan, his
brother, and Muhammad-Baqir, his nephew, both of whom
had accompanied him ever since his visit to his native town
of Bushruyih, in the province of Khurasan. Arriving at the
Masjid-i-Kufih, Mulla Husayn decided to spend forty days
in that place, where he led a life of retirement and prayer.
By his fasts and vigils he prepared himself for the holy adventure
upon which he was soon to embark. In the exercise
of these acts of worship, his brother alone was associated
with him, while his nephew, who attended to their daily
needs, observed the fasts, and in his hours of leisure joined
them in their devotions.
This cloistered calm with which they were surrounded
was, after a few days, unexpectedly interrupted by the arrival
of Mulla Aliy-i-Bastami, one of the foremost disciples of
Siyyid Kazim. He, together with twelve other companions,
arrived at the Masjid-i-Kufih, where he found his fellow-disciple
Mulla Husayn immersed in contemplation and prayer.
Mulla Ali was endowed with such vast learning, and was so
deeply conversant with the teachings of Shaykh Ahmad, that
many regarded him as even superior to Mulla Husayn. On
several occasions he attempted to enquire from Mulla Husayn
as to his destination after the termination of the period of
his retirement. Every time he approached him, he found
him so wrapt in his devotions that he felt it impossible to
venture a question. He soon decided to retire, like him, for
forty days from the society of men. All his companions followed
his example with the exception of three who acted as
their personal attendants.
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Immediately after the completion of his forty days' retirement,
Mulla Husayn, together with his two companions,
departed for Najaf. He left Karbila by night, visited on his
way the shrine of Najaf, and proceeded directly to Bushihr,
on the Persian Gulf. There he started on his holy quest
after the Beloved of his heart's desire. There, for the first
time, he inhaled the fragrance of Him who, for years, had
led in that city the life of a merchant and humble citizen.
52
There he perceived the sweet savours of holiness with which
that Beloved's countless invocations had so richly impregnated
the atmosphere of that city.
He could not, however, tarry longer in Bushihr. Drawn
as if by a magnet which seemed to attract him irresistibly
towards the north, he proceeded to Shiraz. Arriving at the
gate of that city, he instructed his brother and his nephew
to proceed directly to the Masjid-i-Ilkhani, and there to remain
until his arrival. He expressed the hope that, God
willing, he would arrive in time to join them in their evening
prayer.
On that very day, a few hours before sunset, whilst walking
outside the gate of the city, his eyes fell suddenly upon a
Youth of radiant countenance, who wore a green turban and
who, advancing towards him, greeted him with a smile of
loving welcome. He embraced Mulla Husayn with tender
affection as though he had been his intimate and lifelong
friend. Mulla Husayn thought Him at first to be a disciple
of Siyyid Kazim who, on being informed of his approach to
Shiraz, had come out to welcome him.
Mirza Ahmad-i-Qazvini, the martyr, who on several occasions
had heard Mulla Husayn recount to the early believers
the story of his moving and historic interview with the Bab,
related to me the following: "I have heard Mulla Husayn
repeatedly and graphically describe the circumstances of that
remarkable interview: `The Youth who met me outside the
gate of Shiraz overwhelmed me with expressions of affection
and loving-kindness. He extended to me a warm invitation
to visit His home, and there refresh myself after the fatigues
of my journey. I prayed to be excused, pleading that my
53
two companions had already arranged for my stay in that
city, and were now awaiting my return. "Commit them to
the care of God," was His reply; "He will surely protect and
watch over them." Having spoken these words, He bade me
follow Him. I was profoundly impressed by the gentle yet
compelling manner in which that strange Youth spoke to me.
As I followed Him, His gait, the charm of His voice, the
dignity of His bearing, served to enhance my first impressions
of this unexpected meeting.
"`We soon found ourselves standing at the gate of a house
of modest appearance. He knocked at the door, which was
soon opened by an Ethiopian servant. "Enter therein in
peace, secure," (1) were His words as He crossed the threshold
54
and motioned me to follow Him. His invitation, uttered
with power and majesty, penetrated my soul. I thought it a
good augury to be addressed in such words, standing as I
did on the threshold of the first house I was entering in
Shiraz, a city the very atmosphere of which had produced
already an indescribable impression upon me. Might not my
visit to this house, I thought to myself, enable me to draw
nearer to the Object of my quest? Might it not hasten the
termination of a period of intense longing, of strenuous search,
of increasing anxiety, which such a quest involves? As I entered
the house and followed my Host to His chamber, a
feeling of unutterable joy invaded my being. Immediately
55
we were seated, He ordered a ewer of water to be brought,
and bade me wash away from my hands and feet the stains
of travel. I pleaded permission to retire from His presence
and perform my ablutions in an adjoining room. He refused
to grant my request, and proceeded to pour the water over
my hands. He then gave me to drink of a refreshing beverage,
after which He asked for the samovar (1) and Himself prepared
the tea which He offered me.
"`Overwhelmed with His acts of extreme kindness, I arose
to depart. "The time for evening prayer is approaching," I
ventured to observe. "I have promised my friends to join
them at that hour in the Masjid-i-Ilkhani." With extreme
courtesy and calm He replied: "You must surely have made
the hour of your return conditional upon the will and pleasure
of God. It seems that His will has decreed otherwise. You
need have no fear of having broken your pledge." His
dignity and self-assurance silenced me I renewed my ablutions
and prepared for prayer. He, too, stood beside me
and prayed. Whilst praying, I unburdened my soul, which
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was much oppressed, both by the mystery of this interview
and the strain and stress of my search. I breathed this
prayer: "I have striven with all my soul, O my God, and
until now have failed to find Thy promised Messenger. I
testify that Thy word faileth not, and that Thy promise is
sure."
"`That night, that memorable night, was the eve preceding
the fifth day of Jamadiyu'l-Avval, in the year 1260 A.H.(1)
57
It was about an hour after sunset when my youthful Host
began to converse with me. "Whom, after Siyyid Kazim,"
He asked me, "do you regard as his successor and your
leader?" "At the hour of his death," I replied, "our departed
teacher insistently exhorted us to forsake our homes, to
scatter far and wide, in quest of the promised Beloved. I
have, accordingly, journeyed to Persia, have arisen to accomplish
his will, and am still engaged in my quest." "Has your
teacher," He further enquired, "given you any detailed indications
as to the distinguishing features of the promised One?"
"Yes," I replied, "He is of a pure lineage, is of illustrious
descent, and of the seed of Fatimih. As to His age, He is
more than twenty and less than thirty. He is endowed with
innate knowledge. He is of medium height, abstains from
smoking, and is free from bodily deficiency." He paused for
a while and then with vibrant voice declared: "Behold, all
these signs are manifest in Me!" He then considered each
of the above-mentioned signs separately, and conclusively
demonstrated that each and all were applicable to His person.
I was greatly surprised, and politely observed: "He whose
advent we await is a Man of unsurpassed holiness, and the
Cause He is to reveal, a Cause of tremendous power. Many
and diverse are the requirements which He who claims to be
its visible embodiment must needs fulfil. How often has
Siyyid Kazim referred to the vastness of the knowledge of
the promised One! How often did he say: `My own knowledge
is but a drop compared with that with which He has
been endowed. All my attainments are but a speck of dust
in the face of the immensity of His knowledge. Nay, immeasurable
is the difference!'" No sooner had those words
dropped from my lips than I found myself seized with fear
and remorse, such as I could neither conceal nor explain. I
bitterly reproved myself, and resolved at that very moment
to alter my attitude and to soften my tone. I vowed to God
that should my Host again refer to the subject, I would, with
the utmost humility, answer and say: "If you be willing to
substantiate your claim, you will most assuredly deliver me
from the anxiety and suspense which so heavily oppress my
soul. I shall truly be indebted to you for such deliverance."
When I first started upon my quest, I determined to regard
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59
the two following standards as those whereby I could ascertain
the truth of whosoever might claim to be the promised
Qa'im. The first was a treatise which I had myself composed,
bearing upon the abstruse and hidden teachings propounded
by Shaykh Ahmad and Siyyid Kazim. Whoever seemed to
me capable of unravelling the mysterious allusions made in
that treatise, to him I would next submit my second request,
and would ask him to reveal, without the least hesitation or
reflection, a commentary on the Surih of Joseph, in a style
and language entirely different from the prevailing standards
of the time. I had previously requested Siyyid Kazim, in
private, to write a commentary on that same Surih, which
he refused, saying: "This is, verily, beyond me. He, that
great One, who comes after me will, unasked, reveal it for
you. That commentary will constitute one of the weightiest
testimonies of His truth, and one of the clearest evidences
of the loftiness of His position."(1)
"`I was revolving these things in my mind, when my
distinguished Host again remarked: "Observe attentively.
Might not the Person intended by Siyyid Kazim be none
other than I?" I thereupon felt impelled to present to Him
a copy of the treatise which I had with me. "Will you," I
asked Him, "read this book of mine and look at its pages
with indulgent eyes? I pray you to overlook my weaknesses
and failings." He graciously complied with my wish. He
opened the book, glanced at certain passages, closed it, and
began to address me. Within a few minutes He had, with
characteristic vigour and charm, unravelled all its mysteries
and resolved all its problems. Having to my entire satisfaction
accomplished, within so short a time, the task I had
expected Him to perform, He further expounded to me certain
truths which could be found neither in the reported sayings
of the imams of the Faith nor in the writings of Shaykh
Ahmad and Siyyid Kazim. These truths, which I had never
heard before, seemed to be endowed with refreshing vividness
and power. "Had you not been My guest," He afterwards
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61
observed, "your position would indeed have been a grievous
one. The all-encompassing grace of God has saved you. It
is for God to test His servants, and not for His servants to
judge Him in accordance with their deficient standards. Were
I to fail to resolve your perplexities, could the Reality that
shines within Me be regarded as powerless, or My knowledge
be accused as faulty? Nay, by the righteousness of God!
it behoves, in this day, the peoples and nations of both the
East and the West to hasten to this threshold, and here seek
to obtain the reviving grace of the Merciful. Whoso hesitates
will indeed be in grievous loss. Do not the peoples of
the earth testify that the fundamental purpose of their creation
is the knowledge and adoration of God? It behoves
them to arise, as earnestly and spontaneously as you have
arisen, and to seek with determination and constancy their
promised Beloved." He then proceeded to say: "Now is
the time to reveal the commentary on the Surih of Joseph."
He took up His pen and with incredible rapidity revealed
the entire Surih of Mulk, the first chapter of His commentary
on the Surih of Joseph. The overpowering effect of the manner
in which He wrote was heightened by the gentle intonation
of His voice which accompanied His writing. Not for one
moment did He interrupt the flow of the verses which streamed
from His pen. Not once did He pause till the Surih of Mulk
was finished. I sat enraptured by the magic of His voice and
the sweeping force of His revelation. At last I reluctantly
arose from my seat and begged leave to depart. He smilingly
bade me be seated, and said: "If you leave in such a state,
whoever sees you will assuredly say: `This poor youth has
lost his mind.'" At that moment the clock registered two
hours and eleven minutes after sunset.(1) That night, the eve
of the fifth day of Jamadiyu'l-Avval, in the year 1260 A.H.,
corresponded with the eve preceding the sixty-fifth day after
Naw-ruz, which was also the eve of the sixth day of Khurdad,
of the year Nahang. "This night," He declared, "this very
hour will, in the days to come, be celebrated as one of the
greatest and most significant of all festivals. Render thanks
62
to God for having graciously assisted you to attain your
heart's desire, and for having quaffed from the sealed wine of
His utterance. `Well is it with them that attain thereunto.'"(1)
"`At the third hour after sunset, my Host ordered the
dinner to be served. That same Ethiopian servant appeared
again and spread before us the choicest food. That holy
repast refreshed alike my body and soul. In the presence
of my Host, at that hour, I felt as though I were feeding upon
the fruits of Paradise. I could not but marvel at the manners
and the devoted attentions of that Ethiopian servant whose
very life seemed to have been transformed by the regenerating
influence of his Master. I then, for the first time, recognised
the significance of this well-known traditional utterance
ascribed to Muhammad: "I have prepared for the godly and
righteous among My servants what eye hath seen not, ear
heard not, nor human heart conceived." Had my youthful
Host no other claim to greatness, this were sufficient---that
He received me with that quality of hospitality and loving-kindness
which I was convinced no other human being could
possibly reveal.
"`I sat spellbound by His utterance, oblivious of time and
of those who awaited me. Suddenly the call of the muadhdhin,
summoning the faithful to their morning prayer, awakened
me from the state of ecstasy into which I seemed to have
fallen. All the delights, all the ineffable glories, which the
Almighty has recounted in His Book as the priceless possessions
of the people of Paradise--these I seemed to be experiencing
that night. Methinks I was in a place of which
it could be truly said: "Therein no toil shall reach us, and
therein no weariness shall touch us"; "No vain discourse
shall they hear therein, nor any falsehood, but only the cry,
`Peace! Peace!'"; "Their cry therein shall be, `Glory be
to Thee, O God!' and their salutation therein, `Peace!' And
the close of their cry, `Praise be to God, Lord of all creatures!'"+F2
"`Sleep had departed from me that night. I was enthralled
by the music of that voice which rose and fell as He
63
chanted; now swelling forth as He revealed verses of the
Qayyumu'l-Asma',(1) again acquiring ethereal, subtle harmonies
as He uttered the prayers He was revealing.(2) At
the end of each invocation, He would repeat this verse: "Far
from the glory of thy Lord, the All-Glorious, be that which
His creatures affirm of Him! And peace be upon His Messengers!
And praise be to God, the Lord of all beings!"(3)
"`He then addressed me in these words: "O thou who art
the first to believe in Me! Verily I say, I am the Bab, the
Gate of God, and thou art the Babu'l-Bab, the gate of that
Gate. Eighteen souls must, in the beginning, spontaneously
and of their own accord, accept Me and recognise the truth
of My Revelation. Unwarned and uninvited, each of these
must seek independently to find Me. And when their number
is complete, one of them must needs be chosen to accompany
Me on My pilgrimage to Mecca and Medina. There I shall
deliver the Message of God to the Sharif of Mecca. I then
shall return to Kufih, where again, in the Masjid of that
holy city, I shall manifest His Cause. It is incumbent upon
you not to divulge, either to your companions or to any
other soul, that which you have seen and heard. Be engaged
in the Masjid-i-Ilkhani in prayer and in teaching. I, too,
will there join you in congregational prayer. Beware lest
your attitude towards Me betray the secret of your faith.
You should continue in this occupation and maintain this
attitude until our departure for Hijaz. Ere we depart, we
shall appoint unto each of the eighteen souls his special
mission, and shall send them forth to accomplish their task.
We shall instruct them to teach the Word of God and to
quicken the souls of men." Having spoken these words to
me, He dismissed me from His presence. Accompanying
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65
me to the door of the house, He committed me to the care of
God.
"`This Revelation, so suddenly and impetuously thrust
upon me, came as a thunderbolt which, for a time, seemed
to have benumbed my faculties.(1) I was blinded by its dazzling
splendour and overwhelmed by its crushing force. Excitement,
joy, awe, and wonder stirred the depths of my soul.
Predominant among these emotions was a sense of gladness
and strength which seemed to have transfigured me. How
feeble and impotent, how dejected and timid, I had felt
previously! Then I could neither write nor walk, so tremulous
were my hands and feet. Now, however, the knowledge of
His Revelation had galvanised my being. I felt possessed
of such courage and power that were the world, all its peoples
and its potentates, to rise against me, I would, alone
and undaunted, withstand their onslaught. The universe seemed
but a handful of dust in my grasp. I seemed to be the Voice
of Gabriel personified, calling unto all mankind: "Awake, for
lo! the morning Light has broken. Arise, for His Cause is
made manifest. The portal of His grace is open wide; enter
therein, O peoples of the world! For He who is your promised
One is come!"
"`In such a state I left His house and joined my brother
and nephew. A large number of the followers of Shaykh
Ahmad, who had heard of my arrival, had gathered in the
Masjid-i-Ilkhani to meet me. Faithful to the directions of
my newly found Beloved, I immediately set myself to carry
out His wishes. As I began to organise my classes and
perform my devotions, a vast concourse of people gathered
gradually about me. Ecclesiastical dignitaries and officials
of the city also came to visit me. They marvelled at the
spirit which my lectures revealed, unaware that the Source
66
whence my knowledge flowed was none other than He whose
advent they, for the most part, were eagerly awaiting.
"`During those days I was, on several occasions, summoned
by the Bab to visit Him. He would send at night-time
that same Ethiopian servant to the masjid, bearing to
me His most loving message of welcome. Every time I
visited Him, I spent the entire night in His presence. Wakeful
until the dawn, I sat at His feet fascinated by the charm
of His utterance and oblivious of the world and its cares and
pursuits. How rapidly those precious hours flew by! At
daybreak I reluctantly withdrew from His presence. How
eagerly in those days I looked forward to the approach of the
evening hour! With what feelings of sadness and regret I
beheld the dawning of day! In the course of one of these
nightly visits, my Host addressed me in these words: "To-morrow
thirteen of your companions will arrive. To each
of them extend the utmost loving-kindness. Leave them
not to themselves, for they have dedicated their lives to the
quest of their Beloved. Pray to God that He may graciously
enable them to walk securely in that path which is finer than
a hair and keener than a sword. Certain ones among them
will be accounted, in the sight of God, as His chosen and
favoured disciples. As to others, they will tread the middle
way. The fate of the rest will remain undeclared until the
hour when all that is hidden shall be made manifest."(1)
"`That same morning, at sunrise, soon after my return
from the home of the Bab, Mulla Aliy-i-Bastami, accompanied
by the same number of companions as indicated to
me, arrived at the Masjid-i-Ilkhani. I immediately set about
to provide the means for their comfort. One night, a few
days after their arrival, Mulla Ali, as the spokesman of his
companions, gave vent to feelings which he could no longer
repress. "You know well," he said, "how great is our confidence
in you. We bear you such loyalty that if you should
claim to be the promised Qa'im we would all unhesitatingly
submit. Obedient to your summons, we have forsaken our
67
homes and have gone forth in search of our promised Beloved.
You were the first to set us all this noble example. We have
followed in your footsteps. We have determined not to
relax in our efforts until we find the Object of our quest.
We have followed you to this place, ready to acknowledge
whomsoever you accept, in the hope of seeking the shelter
of His protection and of passing successfully through the
tumult and agitation that must needs signalise the last Hour.
How is it that we now see you teaching the people and conducting
their prayers and devotions with the utmost tranquillity?
Those evidences of agitation and expectancy seem
to have vanished from your countenance. Tell us, we beseech
you, the reason, that we too may be delivered from
our present state of suspense and doubt." "Your companions,"
I gently observed, "may naturally attribute my
peace and composure to the ascendancy which I seem to have
acquired in this city. The truth is far from that. The
world, I assure you, with all its pomp and seductions, can
never lure away this Husayn of Bushruyih from his Beloved.
Ever since the beginning of this holy enterprise upon which
I have embarked, I have vowed to seal, with my life-blood,
my own destiny. For His sake I have welcomed immersion
in an ocean of tribulation. I yearn not for the things of this
world. I crave only the good pleasure of my Beloved. Not
until I shed my blood for His name will the fire that glows
within me be quenched. Please God you may live to witness
that day. Might not your companions have thought that,
because of the intensity of his longing and the constancy of
his endeavours, God has, in His infinite mercy, graciously
deigned to unlock before the face of Mulla Husayn the Gate
of His grace, and, wishing, according to His inscrutable wisdom,
to conceal this fact, has bidden him engage in such
pursuits?" These words stirred the soul of Mulla Ali. He
at once perceived their meaning. With tearful eyes he entreated
me to disclose the identity of Him who had turned
my agitation into peace and converted my anxiety into certitude.
"I adjure you," he pleaded, "to bestow upon me a
portion of that holy draught which the Hand of mercy has
given you to drink, for it will assuredly allay my thirst, and
ease the pain of longing in my heart." "Beseech me not,"
68
I replied, "to grant you this favour. Let your trust be in
Him, for He will surely guide your steps, and appease the
tumult of your heart."'"
Mulla Ali hastened to his companions and acquainted
them with the nature of his conversation with Mulla Husayn.
Ablaze with the fire which the account of that conversation
had kindled in their hearts, they immediately dispersed, and,
seeking the seclusion of their cells, besought, through fasting
and prayer, the early removal of the veil that intervened
between them and the recognition of their Beloved. They
prayed while keeping their vigils: "O God, our God! Thee
only do we worship, and to Thee do we cry for help. Guide
us, we beseech Thee, on the straight Path, O Lord our God!
Fulfil what Thou hast promised unto us by Thine Apostles,
and put us not to shame on the Day of Resurrection. Verily,
Thou wilt not break Thy promise."
On the third night of his retirement, whilst wrapt in
prayer, Mulla Aliy-i-Bastami had a vision. There appeared
before his eyes a light, and, lo! that light moved off before
him. Allured by its splendour, he followed it, till at last it
led him to his promised Beloved. At that very hour, in the
mid-watches of the night, he arose and, exultant with joy
and radiant with gladness, opened the door of his chamber
and hastened to Mulla Husayn. He threw himself into the
arms of his revered companion. Mulla Husayn most lovingly
embraced him and said: "Praise be to God who hath guided
us hither! We had not been guided had not God guided us!"
That very morning, at break of day, Mulla Husayn, followed
by Mulla Ali, hastened to the residence of the Bab.
At the entrance of His house they met the faithful Ethiopian
servant, who immediately recognised them and greeted them
in these words: "Ere break of day, I was summoned to the
presence of my Master, who instructed me to open the door
of the house and to stand expectant at its threshold. `Two
guests,' He said, `are to arrive early this morning. Extend
to them in My name a warm welcome. Say to them from
Me: "Enter therein in the name of God."'"
The first meeting of Mulla Ali with the Bab, which was
analogous to the meeting with Mulla Husayn, differed only
in this respect, that whereas at the previous meeting the
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