Childhood of Bahá'u'lláh (Sources)
This document provides the original source accounts for the story of Bahá'u'llah's Birth and Childhood.

The story of the Bahá'u'lláh's Childhood in plain english using these accounts, is here:
http://www.paintdrawer.co.uk/david/folders/Spirituality/005=Collections/holydays.htm

Latest Version of this document:
http://www.paintdrawer.co.uk/david/folders/Research/Bahai/Baha%27u%27llah/Birth%20of%20Baha%27u%27llah%20(Sources).rtf

All comments appreciated - http://www.paintdrawer.co.uk/david/Email.php

If you are reading this using Word (if you are in a browser, save it and reopen it in Word) then you can navigate by one of the following:-
•	Turn on the Document Map to put a clickable contents down the left hand side. (In many versions of Word this is View - Document Map.); or,
•	Whilst holding down Ctrl, click a page number in the contents below.
Contents
Contents
1890 - Dawnbreakers (Nabil-i-Zarandi / Shoghi Effendi)
1914 - Star of West (Munirih Khanum / H E Hoagg)
1914 - Star of West  (Abdu'l-Bahá / Ahmad Sohrab)
1912 - Star of West / Address in New York (Abdu'l-Bahá)
1923 - Bahá'u'lláh and the New Era
1940 - Chosen Highway (Lady Blomfield)
1944 - God Passes By (Shoghi Effendi)
1974 - Revelation of Bahá'u'lláh (Adib Taherzadeh)
???? - Furutan Memories "Stories of Bahá'u'lláh"
???? - Bahá'u'lláh (Balyuzi)
1980 - King of Glory (Balyuzi)
1999 - Child of the Covenant (Adib Taherzadeh)
Baha'u'lláh, a Brief Life: Followed by an Essay on The Manifestation of God
Banu Qurayza
Maiden
Letter to Aunt Age 5 (Bahá'u'lláh)
Lawh-i-Rais (Summons of the Lord of Hosts)
House in Tihiran, Rob Stauffer
Works
Unreferenced
Call to Remembrance

1890 - Dawnbreakers (Nabil-i-Zarandi / Shoghi Effendi)
Shaykh Ahmad Announces Bahá'u'lláh's Birth
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 Báb, 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 Báb 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 sorely perplexed me. Long after, however, I met a certain Haji Mirza Kamalu'd-Din-i-Naraqi, who announced to me the Revelation of Bahá'u'lláh in Baghdad, and who shared with me a number of verses from the 'Qasídiy-i-Varqá'íyyih' as well as certain passages of the Persian and Arabic 'Hidden Words.' I was moved to the depths of my soul as I heard him recite those sacred words. The following I still vividly remember: 'O Son of Being! Thy heart is my home; sanctify it for my descent. Thy spirit is my place of revelation; cleanse it for my manifestation. O Son of Earth! Wouldst thou have me, seek none other than me; and wouldst thou gaze upon my beauty, close thine eyes to the world and all that is therein; for my will and the will of another than I, even as fire and water, cannot dwell together in one heart.' I asked him the date of the birth of Bahá'u'lláh. 'The dawn of the second day of Muharram,' he replied, 'of the year 1233 A.H.'[3] I immediately remembered the words of Haji Hasan and recalled the day on which they were spoken. Instinctively I fell prostrate on the ground and exclaimed: 'Glorified art Thou, O my God, for having enabled me to attain unto this promised Day. If now I be called to Thee, I die content and assured.'" That very year, the year 1274 A.H., [4] that venerable and radiant soul yielded his spirit to God.
[1 "God is Most Great."]
[2 October 20, 1819 A.D.]
[3 November 12, 1817 A.D.]
[4 1857-8 A.D.]
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.
(Shoghi Effendi, The Dawn-Breakers)
Shaykh Ahmad
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]
Birth of Baha'u'llah
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 Bahá'u'lláh.[3] At the hour of dawn, on the second day of Muharram, in the year 1233 A.H.[4] the world, unaware of its significance, witnessed the birth of Him who was destined to confer upon it such incalculable blessings. Shaykh Ahmad, who recognized in its full measure the meaning of this auspicious event, yearned to spend the remaining days of his life within the precincts of the court of this Divine, this new-born King. But this was not to be. His thirst unallayed, and his yearning unsatisfied, he felt compelled to submit to God's irrevocable decree, and, turning his face away from the city of his Beloved, proceeded to Kirmanshah.
[1 "The Shah felt his good will and respect for the Shaykh grow increasingly from day to day. He felt obliged to obey him and would have considered it an act of blasphemy to oppose him. However, at this time, a succession of earthquakes occurred in Rayy and many were destroyed. "The Shah had a dream in which it was revealed to him that, if Shaykh Ahmad had not been there, the entire city would have been destroyed and all the inhabitants killed. He awakened terrified and his faith in the Shaykh grew apace." (A. L. M. Nicolas' "Essai sur le Shaykhisme," I, p. 21.)]
[2 Mirza Abu'l-Fadl asserts in his writings that the genealogy of Bahá'u'lláh can be traced back to the ancient Prophets of Persia as well as to its kings who ruled over the land prior to the Arab invasion.]
[3 His name was Mirza Husayn-'Ali.]
[4 November 12, 1817 A.D.]
(Shoghi Effendi, The Dawn-Breakers, p. 12)

From the moment Thou didst mount Thy throne at the hour of dawn on the 2nd on Muharram 1233 (12 November 1817) until Thy ascension to the Realms of Eternity, eight hours after sunset on the 2nd of Dhi'l-Qa'dih 1309 (29 May 1892) a period of seventy-seven years less two months according to the lunar calendar
(Adib Taherzadeh, The Revelation of Baha'u'llah v 4.ocn1, p. 418)
Mullá Husayn sent out
Mulla Husayn, who anticipated being the chosen companion of the Bab during His pilgrimage to Mecca and Medina, was, as soon as the latter decided to depart from Shiraz, summoned to the presence of his Master, who gave him the following instructions: "The days of our companionship are approaching their end. My Covenant with you is now accomplished. Gird up the loins of endeavour, and arise to diffuse My Cause. Be not dismayed at the sight of the degeneracy and perversity of this generation, for the Lord of the Covenant shall assuredly assist you. Verily, He shall surround you with His loving protection, and shall lead you from victory to victory. Even as the cloud that rains its bounty upon the earth, traverse the land from end to end, and shower upon its people the blessings which the Almighty, in His mercy, has deigned to confer upon you. Forbear with the ulamas, and resign yourself to the will of God. Raise the cry: 'Awake, awake, for, lo! the Gate of God is open, and the morning Light is shedding its radiance upon all mankind! The promised One is made manifest; prepare the way for Him, O people of the earth! Deprive not yourselves of its redeeming grace, nor close your eyes to its effulgent glory.' Those whom you find receptive to your call, share with them the epistles and tablets We have revealed for you, that, perchance, these wondrous words may cause them to turn away from the slough of heedlessness, and soar into the realm <p86> of the Divine presence. In this pilgrimage upon which We are soon to embark, We have chosen Quddus as Our companion. We have left you behind to face the onslaught of a fierce and relentless enemy. Rest assured, however, that a bounty unspeakably glorious shall be conferred upon you. Follow the course of your journey towards the north, and visit on your way Isfahan, Kashan, Qum, and Tihran. Beseech almighty Providence that He may graciously enable you to attain, in that capital, the seat of true sovereignty, and to enter the mansion of the Beloved. A secret lies hidden in that city. When made manifest, it shall turn the earth into paradise. My hope is that you may partake of its grace and recognize its splendour. From Tihran proceed to Khurasan, and there proclaim anew the Call. From thence return to Najaf and Karbila, and there await the summons <p87> of your Lord. Be assured that the high mission for which you have been created will, in its entirety, be accomplished by you. Until you have consummated your work, if all the darts of an unbelieving world be directed against you, they will be powerless to hurt a single hair of your head. All things are imprisoned within His mighty grasp. He, verily, is the Almighty, the All-Subduing."
...
To Mulla Husayn, as the hour of his departure approached, the Bab addressed these words: "Grieve not that you have not been chosen to accompany Me on My pilgrimage to Hijaz. I shall, instead, direct your steps to that city which enshrines a Mystery of such transcendent holiness as neither Hijaz nor Shiraz can hope to rival. My hope is that you may, by the aid of God, be enabled to remove the veils from the eyes of the wayward and to cleanse the minds of the malevolent. Visit, on your way, Isfahan, Kashan, Tihran, and Khurasan. Proceed thence to Iraq, and there await the summons of your Lord, who will keep watch over you and will direct you to whatsoever is His will and desire. As to Myself, I shall, accompanied by Quddus and My Ethiopian servant, proceed on My pilgrimage to Hijaz. I shall join the company of the pilgrims of Fars, who will shortly be sailing for that land. I shall visit Mecca and Medina, and there fulfil the mission with which God has entrusted Me. God willing, I shall return hither by the way of Kufih, in which place I hope to meet you. If it be decreed otherwise, I shall ask you to join Me in Shiraz. The hosts of the invisible Kingdom, be assured, will sustain and reinforce your efforts. The essence of power is now dwelling in you, and the company of His chosen angels revolves around you. His almighty arms will surround you, and His unfailing Spirit will ever continue to guide your steps. He that loves you, loves God; and whoever opposes you, has opposed God. Whoso befriends you, him will God befriend; and whoso rejects you, him will God reject."
CHAPTER IV
[His journey]

1914 - Star of West (Munirih Khanum / H E Hoagg)
Dream of the Fish
Baha'o'llah, when he was six years old, had a dream in which he saw himself swimming in a mighty ocean which was so great that he marveled. His hair, which was long, was floating out on the waves and soon he discovered that to each separate hair a fish was attached by its mouth, that is, the fish was holding the hair in its month. There were large fish, small fish, white fish, black fish, in fact all kinds of fishes. 
The impression he received was so vivid that he was awakened. When he told his father in the morning the father decided to have the meaning if possible.  Being, as you know, a Grand Vizier, he applied to the Shah, asking permission to have the dream interpreted by the court interpreter of dreams. This was granted him. When the interpreter had heard the dream he stood amazed.  He said, "This is a most wonderful dream, but I do not see how it can come true. The ocean symbolizes the world; the fish are the people of the world who are to gain knowledge from this boy--knowledge of God. You must protect and keep him, for he will be very great, but it is not possible that he can fulfill entirely such a wonderful dream. How can the entire world receive knowledge of God from this boy? However, this is what I see in this dream. Protect him. Keep and guard him. He will be very great and will teach great and learned people as well as others."
(Words of 'Abdu'l-Baha's wife given by Mrs. H. E. Hoagg in a letter from Haifa, Syria, 1914; in SW, Vol. 8:12, p. 158)

Src - Tarikh email 15 November 2006 05:03

1914 - Star of West  (Abdu'l-Bahá / Ahmad Sohrab)
('Abdu'l Baha: from the Diary of Mirza Ahmad Sohrab, January 13, 1914; published in SW, Vol. 8:13, p. 169)

Abdu'l-Bahá Believes in Bahá'u'lláh in 1852
"In Baghdad I was a child nine years old. There and then he (Baha'o'llah) announced to me the Word, and I believed him. As soon as he proclaimed to me the Word I threw myself at his holy feet and implored and supplicated him to accept this one drop of blood as a sacrifice in his pathway."   
1912 - Star of West / Address in New York (Abdu'l-Bahá)
('Abdu'l-Baha, from an address in New York, April 18, 1912; in SW, Vol. 8:12, p. 159)

Outline
"Tonight I wish to tell you something of the Bahai history, the history of Baha'o'llah. The Blessed Perfection belonged to the royal family of Persia.  From his earliest childhood he became distinguished among his relatives and friends. They remarked: "This child has extraordinary power of intellect, wisdom, and innate knowledge." He was superior to his age and class. All were astonished.  Some remarked: "Such a precocious child will not survive for it has been proved that children who are too precocious do not live long." 
"Up to the age of maturity the Blessed Perfection, Baha'o'llah had not consented to enter any school; he was not willing to be taught by any teacher.  This fact is well known among all Persians of Teheran. Nevertheless, he solved the difficult problems of all who presented them to him. In Whatever meetings, scientific gatherings, or meetings for theological discussions wherever he was present he always solved the abstruse problems presented to him.
"Until the father of Baha'o'llah passed away the Blessed Perfection had not sought for any position or political situation.  All were surprised at this, that notwithstanding his connection with the ministry, he would not accept any position. They remarked: "How is it that a young man so intelligent, so keen, so perceptive, so conscientious is not a candidate for positions of the lucrative type?" As a matter of fact every position was open to him and all the people of Persia are witnesses to this historic fact." 
1923 - Bahá'u'lláh and the New Era
Imprisoned as Bábí
When the Báb declared His mission in 1844, Bahá'u'lláh, Who was then in His twenty-seventh year, boldly espoused the Cause of the new Faith, of which He soon became recognized as one of the most powerful and fearless exponents. He had already twice suffered imprisonment for the Cause, and on one occasion had undergone the torture of the bastinado, when in August 1852, an event occurred fraught with terrible consequences for the Bábís. One of the Báb's followers, a youth named Sadiq, had been so affected by the martyrdom of his beloved Master, of which he was an eyewitness, that his mind became deranged, and, in revenge, he waylaid the Shah and fired a pistol at him. Instead of using a bullet, however, he charged his weapon with small shot, and although a few pellets struck the Shah, no serious harm was done. The youth dragged the Shah from his horse, but was promptly seized by the attendants of his Majesty and put to death on the spot. The whole body of Bábís was unjustly held responsible for the deed, and frightful massacres ensued. Eighty of them were forthwith put to death in Tihran with the most revolting tortures. Many others were seized and put into prisons, among them being Bahá'u'lláh. He afterwards wrote:  -- 
(Dr. J.E. Esslemont, Baha'u'llah and the New Era, p. 24)
1940 - Chosen Highway (Lady Blomfield)
Báb's Trust to Bahá'u'lláh through Mullá Husayn
Mission
Mulla Husayn, the first believer in the Bab, was one day summoned to the presence of his Master:
"I have a very important mission for you," said the Bab.
"Take this tablet, it is for a great and holy person."
While Mull Husayn listened in wonder and awe, the Bab <p23> continued.  "Go to Tihran, seek out one, who is a very highly placed personage and who is well known to be, above all things, spiritual, showing forth loving kindness and charity."
The disciple journeyed to Tihran, filled with thought of the sacred importance of his secret mission.
Arrival and Inquiries
Having arrived, he prepared to inquire carefully, day after day, knowing by faith of intuition that the Great One[10] was in reality on earth, moreover that he should find him, though as yet veiled, in that very town of Tihran.
[10 The Bab declared His own message to be preparatory to that of "He whom God shall make Manifest," the Promised One of all peoples.--ED.]
After some days had passed in fruitless seeking, he met one of the 'ulamas,[11 to whom the errand was confided, though not, of course, in its entire sacredness.
[11 "Learned ones"; applied generally to the clergy.]
Bahá'u'lláh Described
"There is but one personage in all this place who could possibly be the one you seek," he said.
"Tell me of him," said the Babu'l-Bab.
"He is one of the noble class, but above all ostentation, seldom attending stately functions.  Extremely wealthy, but caring naught for luxury and sumptuous faring.  Full of a marvellous wisdom is he, yet he has never been instructed of men, even when a young boy, not consenting to receive lessons from the usual teachers of youth.  He is the helper of all in need of succour.  A refuge for those in sorrowful weariness; a comfort to all the afflicted.  A strong champion of those who suffer wrong.  To the shelter of his house all who hunger or thirst are warmly welcomed.  His hospitality is given freely to every comer.  His doors are always opened to the friendless, and his heart to every tale of grief.
"The people say:
"'He refuses all the lucrative posts which are offered to him; surely even his wealth must diminish, if he despises all means of adding to it, whilst he continues to bestow his goods so lavishly on these worthless poor creatures.'
"It is very difficult to understand his conduct, so differing from that of our other friends.  What can be the meaning or the good of it all?  Well, it certainly is not the way to fill his coffers with tumans.
<p24>
"But the poor of people, the forsaken, the sick and the miserable, revere and love him with a kind of worshipful adoration; they speak of him as the 'Father of the Poor.'
"Moreover, it is whispered by many of his friends, both rich and poor, that there is something about him of the other world, the world of holiness.
"Say, my friend, think you this is he whom you seek?"
The Babu'l-Bab, as he heard these things, knew that he had found Him whom he sought.
Tablet Entrusted
"Without doubt this is He.  Now how can the precious Tablet be delivered to this unique personage?"
"I can do this, for I am frequently at his house, where I give teaching to some of his brethren."
So this tutor was entrusted to deliver the Tablet of the Bab to Mirza Husayn-'Ali Nuri, who, when He had read the wonderful, inspired words, called His brother, Mirza Musa, saying: "Read this--if there be any truth in this mortal world, it is to be found in the words of the writer of this Tablet."
Mirza Husayn-'Ali sent back to Shiraz by messenger a present of tea to the Bab.
Asiyih Khanum Chronicle
THE SPOKEN CHRONICLE
of
Bahiyyih Khanum, Daughter of Baha'u'llah,
known to the Persian friends
as
Varaqiyih 'Ulya,
the Greatest Holy Leaf
of the
Tree of Life.
<p38>
<p39>
Chapter I
Iran
Most of the following details were given to me in conversations with Khanum (Bahiyyih Khanum) the daughter of Baha'u'llah, sister of 'Abdu'l-Baha called by the Persian Baha'is "Varaqiyih 'Ulya (the Greatest Holy Leaf)":
Happy Days
I remember dimly very happy days with my beloved father and mother, and my brother 'Abbas, who was two years my senior.
Baha'u'llah and Asiyih Khanum
My father was Mirza Husayn-'Ali of Nur, who married my beautiful mother, Asiyih Khanum, when she was very young.  She was the only daughter of a Persian Vizier, of high degree, Mirza Isma'il, He, as well as Mirza 'Abbas Buzurg, my paternal grandfather, possessed great wealth.
Wealth
When the brother of my mother married my father's sister, the double alliance of the two noble families roused much interest throughout the land.  "It is adding wealth to wealth," the people said.  Asiyih Khanum's wedding treasures were extensive, in accordance with the usual custom in families of their standing; forty mules were loaded with her possessions when she came to her husband's home.
For six months before the marriage a jeweller worked at her home, preparing jewellry--even the buttons of her garments were of gold, set with precious stones.  (These buttons were destined to be exchanged for bread, on the terrible exile journey from Tihran to Baghdad.)
Asiyih Khanum Character
I wish you could have seen her as I first remember her, tall, slender, graceful, eyes of dark blue--a pearl, a flower amongst women.
I have been told that even when very young, her wisdom and <p40> intelligence were remarkable.  I always think of her in those earliest days of my memory as queenly in her dignity and loveliness, full of consideration for everybody, gentle, of a marvelous unselfishness, no action of hers ever failed to show the loving-kindness of her pure heart; her very presence seemed to make an atmosphere of love and happiness wherever she came, enfolding all comers in the fragrance of gentle courtesy.
Aloof from Politics, Colsolation of the Poor
Even in the early years of their married life, they, my father and mother, took part as little as possible in State functions, social ceremonies, and the luxurious habits of ordinary highly-placed and wealthy families in the land of Persia; she, and her noble-hearted husband, counted these worldly pleasures meaningless, and preferred rather to occupy themselves in caring for the poor, and for all who were unhappy, or in trouble.
From our doors nobody was ever turned away; the hospitable board was spread for all comers.
Constantly the poor women came to my mother, to whom they poured out their various stories of woe, to be comforted and consoled by her loving helpfulness.
Whilst the people called my father "The Father of the Poor," they spoke of my mother as "The Mother of Consolation," though, naturally, only the women and little children ever looked upon her face unveiled.
So our peaceful days flowed on.
Country Residence
We used to go to our house in the country sometimes; my brother 'Abbas and I loved to play in the beautiful gardens, where grew many kinds of wonderful fruits and flowers and flowering trees; but this part of my early life is a very dim memory.
Attempt on Life of Shah, Bahá'u'lláh's Arrest and Bastinado
One day I remember very well, though I was only six years old at the time.  It seems that an attempt had been made on the life of the Shah by a half-crazy young Babi.
My father was away at his country house in the village of Niaviran, which was his property, the villagers of which were all and individually cared for by him.
Suddenly and hurriedly a servant came rushing in great distress to my mother.
"The master, the master, he is arrested--I have seen him!  <p41> He has walked many miles!  Oh, they have beaten him!  They say he has suffered the torture of the bastinado!  His feet are bleeding!  He has no shoes on!  His turban has gone!  His clothes are torn!  There are chains upon his neck!
My poor mother's face grew whiter and whiter.
We children were terribly frightened and could only weep bitterly.
They Flee
Immediately everybody, all our relations, and friends, and servants fled from our house in terror, only one man-servant, Isfandiyar remained, and one woman.  Our palace, and the smaller houses belonging to it were very soon stripped of everything; furniture, treasurers, all were stolen by the people.
Mirza Musa, my father's brother, who was always very kind to us, helped my mother and her three children to escape into hiding.  She succeeded in saving some few of the marriage treasurers, which were all of our vast possessions left to us.  These things were sold; with the money my mother was able to pay the gaolers to take food to my father in the prison, and to meet other expenses incurred later on.
Small House
We were now in a little house, not far from the prison.  Mirza Yahya (Subh-i-Azal) had run away in terror to Mazindaran, where he remained in hiding.
Oh, the terrible anxiety my beloved mother suffered at that time!  Surely greater than any woman, about to become a mother (as I afterwards knew), could possibly have strength to bear.
Siyah-Chal
The prison into which my father had been cast was a terrible place, seven steps below the ground; it was ankle-deep in filth, infested with horrible vermin, and of an indescribable loathsomeness.  Added to this, there was no glimmer of light in that noisome place.  Within its walls forty the Babis were crowded; murderers and highway robbers were also imprisoned there.
My noble father was hurled into this black hole, loaded with heavy chains; five other the Babis were chained to him night and day, and here he remained for four months.  Picture to yourself the horror of these conditions.
Any movement caused the chains to cut deeper and deeper not only into the flesh of one, but of all who were chained together; whilst sleep or rest of any kind was not possible.  No <p42> food was provided, and it was with the utmost difficulty that my mother was able to arrange to get any food or drink taken into that ghastly prison.
Meanwhile, the spirit which upheld the Babis never quailed for a moment, even under these conditions.  To be tortured to a death, which would be the Martyr's Crown of Life, was their aim and great desire.
They chanted prayers night and day.
Every morning one or more of these brave and devoted friends would be taken out to be tortured and killed in various ways of horror.
When religious fanaticism was aroused against a person or persons, who were accused of being infidels, as was now the case with the Babis, it was customary not simply to condemn them to death and have them executed by the State executioner, but to hand the victims over to various classes of the populace.
The butchers had their methods of torture; the bakers theirs; the shoemakers and blacksmiths yet others of their own.  They were all given opportunities of carrying out their pitiless inventions on the Babis.
The fanatics became more and more infuriated when they failed to quench the amazing spirit of these fearless, devoted ones, who remained unflinching, chanting prayers, asking God to pardon and bless their murderers, and praising Him, as long as they were able to breathe.  The mob crowded to these fearful scenes, and yelled their execrations, whilst all through the fiendish work, a drum was loudly beaten.
Anxiety
These horrible sounds I well remember, as we three children clung to our mother, she not knowing whether the victim was her own adored husband.  She could not find out whether he was still alive or not until late at night, or very early in the morning, when she determined to venture out, in defiance of the danger to herself and to us, for neither women or children were spared.
How well I remember cowering in the dark, with my little brother, Mirza Mihdi, the Purest Branch, at that time two years old, in my arms, which were not very strong, as I was only six.  I was shivering with terror, for I knew of some of the <p43> horrible things that were happening, and was aware that they might have seized even my mother.
So I waited and waited until she should come back.  Then Mirza Musa, my uncle, who was in hiding, would venture in to hear what tidings my mother had been able to gather.
My brother 'Abbas usually went with her on these sorrowful errands.
We listened eagerly to the accounts she gave to my uncle.  This information came through the kindness of a sister of my grandfather, who was married to Mirza Yusif, a Russian subject, and a friend of the Russian Consul in Tihran.  This gentleman, my great uncle by marriage, used to attend the courts to find out some particulars as to the victims chosen for execution day by day, and thus was able to relieve to some extent my mother's overwhelming anxiety as these appalling days passed over us.
It was Mirza Yusif, who was able to help my mother about getting food taken to my father, and who brought us to the two little rooms near the prison, where we stayed in close hiding.  He had to be very careful in thus defying the authorities, although the danger in this case was mitigated by the fact of his being under the protection of the Russian Consulate, as a Russian subject.
Nobody at all, of all our friends and relations, dared to come to see my mother during these days of death, but the wife of Mirza Yusif, the aunt of my father.
Bahá'u'lláh's Death Plotted, Russian Protection
One day the discovery was made by Mirza Yusif that our untiring enemies, the most fanatical of the mullas, were plotting the death of Mirza Husayn 'Ali Nuri, my father.
Mirza Yusif consulted the Russian Consul; that powerful friend determined that this plan should be at once frustrated.
An amazing scene took place in the Court, where the sentences of death were passed.  The Russian Consul rose and fearlessly addressed those in court:
"Hearken to me!  I have words of importance to say to you" (his voice rang out, the president and officials were too amazed to reply).
"Have you not taken enough cruel revenge?  Have you not already murdered a large enough number of harmless people, <p44> because of this accusation, of the absurd falseness of which you are quite aware?  Has there not been sufficient of this orgy of brutal torture to satisfy you?  How is it possible that you can even pretend to think that this august prisoner planned that silly attempt to shoot the Shah?
"It is not unknown to you that the stupid gun, used by that poor youth, could not have killed a bird.  Moreover, the boy was obviously insane.  You know very well that this charge is not only untrue, but palpably ridiculous.
"There must be an end to all this.
"I have determined to extend the protection of Russia to this innocent nobleman; therefore beware!  For if one hair of his head be hurt from this moment, rivers of blood shall flow in your town as punishment.
"You will do well to heed my warning, my country is behind me in this matter."
An account of this scene was given to my mother by Mirza Musa, when he came for tidings.
Needless to say how eagerly my brother and I listened, and how we all wept for joy.
Very soon afterwards we heard that, fearing to disregard the stern warning of the Russian Consul, the Governor gave orders that my father should be permitted to come forth from that prison with his life.  It was also decreed that he and his family were banished.
Banished to Baghdad
They were to leave Tihran for Baghdad.  Ten days were allowed for preparation, as the beloved prisoner was very ill indeed.
And so he came to our two little rooms.
Oh, the joy of his presence!
Oh, the horror of that dungeon, where he had passed those four terrible months.
Jamal-i-Mubarak (a name given to my father, i.e., literally the Blessed Beauty) spoke very little of the terrible sufferings of that time!  We, who saw the marks of what he had endured, where the chains had cut into the delicate skin, especially that of his neck, his wounded feet so long untended, evidence of the torture of the bastinado, how we wept with my dear mother.
<p45>
He, on his part, told of the steadfast faith of the friends, who had gone forth to meet their death at the hands of their torturers, with joy and gladness, to attain the crown of martyrdom.
The glory had won so great a victory that the shame, and pain, and sorrow, and scorn were of comparatively no importance whatever!
Divine Experience
Jamal-i-Mubarak had a marvellous divine experience whilst in that prison.
We saw a new radiance seeming to enfold him like a shining vesture, its significance were to learn years later.  At that time we were only aware of the wonder of it, without understanding, or even being told the details of the sacred event.
Nursing
My mother did her best to nurse our beloved, that he might have some strength to set out upon that journey on which we were to start in ten days' time.
Now was a time of great difficulty.
Preparations to Leave
How could she prepare?
The poor, dear lady sold almost all that remained of her marriage treasurers, jewels, embroidered garments, and other belongings for which she received about four hundred tumans.  With this money she was able to make some provision for the terrible journey.  (The Government provided nothing for those whom they exiled.)
Journey
This journey was filled with indescribable difficulties.  My mother had no experience, no servants, no provisions, and very little money left.  My father was extremely ill, not having recovered from the ordeals of the torture and the prison.  No one of all of our friends and relations dared to come to our help, or even to say good-bye, but one old lady, the grandmother of Asiyih Khanum.
Our faithful servant, Isfandiyar, and the one negro woman who did not fear to remain with us, did their best.  But we three children were very young, my brother eight, and I six years old.  Mirza Mihdi, the "Purest Branch," was very delicate, and my mother allowed herself to be persuaded to leave the little fellow, only two years old, with her grandmother, though the parting with him was very sad.
At length we started on that fearful journey, which lasted <p46> about four weeks; the weather was bitterly cold, snow was upon the ground.
On the way to Baghdad we sometimes encamped in wilderness places, but in that month of December, the cold was intense, and we were not well prepared!
My poor mother!  How she suffered on this journey, riding in a takht-i-ravan, borne on a jolting mule!  And this took place only six weeks before her youngest son was born!
Never did she utter one word of complaint.  She was always thinking of some kindness for somebody, and sympathy she gave unsparingly to all in their difficulties.
*     *     *
Seeing tears in my eyes while listening to this story, Khanum said:
"This time is very sad, Laydee, I shall make you grieve if I tell of it."
"Oh, I want to be with you in my heart through all your sadness, dearest Khanum," I said.
"Well, well!  If I did not live in my thoughts all through the events of the sad days of our lives, I should have naught else in my life, for it has been all sorrow; but sorrow is really joy, when suffered in the path of God!"
*     *     *
When we came to a city, my dear mother would take the clothes and wash them at the public baths; we also were able to have baths at those places.  She would carry the cold, wet clothes away in her arms--drying them was an almost impossible task; her lovely hands, being unused to such coarse work, became very painful.
We sometimes stayed at a caravanserai--a sort of rough inn.  Only one room was allowed for one family, and for one night--no longer.  No light was permitted at night, and there were no beds.  Sometimes we were able to have tea, or again a few eggs, a little cheese, and some coarse bread.
My father was so ill that he could not eat the rough food--my mother was very distressed and tried to think of some way of getting different food, as he grew more weak through eating nothing.
<p47>
One day she had been able to get a little flour, and at night, when we arrived at the caravanserai she made a sweet cake for him.  Alas!--the misfortune--being dark, she used salt instead of sugar.  So the cake was uneatable!  Quite a tragedy in its way.
The Governor of Tihran sent soldiers with us to the frontier, where Turkish soldier met us and escorted us to Baghdad.
Baghdad
When we first arrived there, we had a very little house, consisting of my father's room, and another one which was my mother's and in which were also my eldest brother, the baby, and myself.
When Arab ladies came to see us, this was the only reception room.  These ladies came because they had been taught by Tahirih, Qurratu'l-'Ayn, during her visit to Baghdad.
One day when an old lady was there, I was told to prepare the samovar--it was very heavy to carry upstairs, for my arms were not extremely strong.  The old lady said: "One proof that the Babi teaching is wonderful is that a very little girl served the samovar!"
My father was amused, he used to say, "Here is the lady converted by seeing your service at the samovar!"
Among the Arabians taught by Tahirih was Shaykh Sultan, whose daughter married Mirza Musa, brother of Baha'u'llah.  Their daughter eventually married Muhammad-'Ali, half-brother of 'Abdu'l-Baha.
Mirza Musa and his wife were always devoted to Baha'u'llah.  This uncle, Mirza Musa, who came into exile with us, was a very kind helper in everything.  At one time he did almost all the cooking, for which he had a talent; he would also help with the washing.
Asiyih Khanum, my dear mother, was in delicate health, her strength was diminished by the hardships she had undergone, but she always worked beyond her force.
Sometimes my father himself helped in the cooking, as that hard work was too much for the dainty, refined, gentle lady. The hardships she had endured saddened the heart of her divine husband, who was also her beloved Lord.  He gave this help both before his sojourn in the wilderness of Sulaymaniyyih, and after his return.
<p48>
...
Mirza Husayn-'Ali Nuri wrote on one occasion a letter to the Bab, at the request of His young half-brother, he being too illiterate to write it himself.  The Bab, in His reply, referred to this youth as "a Mirror."  Thereupon Subh-i-Azal assumed the title of "the Mirror", as being particularly bestowed upon him; the fact being that the title, if not quite a general one, at least had been given to a number of the Babis.
...
Bahá'u'lláh Leads Rescue Parties
Baha'u'llah, Who had become a disciple of the Bab led rescue parties, carrying food and money to the brave and sorely pressed garrisons.
He thereby incurred the hatred of the most fanatical of the mullas.  These men were unscrupulous in their methods, employing spies to watch, so that some pretext might be found for the active persecutions which they were plotting.
When the insane youth shot at the Shah, the fanatics rejoiced.  Here was a grand opportunity!
Abdu'l-Bahá's Pains
'Abdu'l-Baha, then only eight years old, was broken-hearted at the ruthless treatment of His adored Father.  The child suffered agonies, as a description of the tortures was related in His hearing--the cruel scourging of the feet, the long miles Baha'u'llah had to walk afterwards, barefooted, heavy chains cutting into the delicate flesh, the loathsome prison; the excruciating anxiety lest His very life should be taken--made a load of suffering, piteous for so young and sensitive a child to endure.
Impoverishment
All the former luxury of the family was at an end. deserted as they were by relations and friends. Homeless, utterly <p81> impoverished, engulfed in trouble, and misery, suffering from sheer want and extraordinary privations--such were the conditions under which His childhood's life was spent.
1944 - God Passes By (Shoghi Effendi)
A Revelation, hailed as the promise and crowning glory of past ages and centuries, as the consummation of all the Dispensations within the Adamic Cycle, inaugurating an era of at least a thousand years' duration, and a cycle destined to last no less than five thousand centuries, signalizing the end of the Prophetic Era and the beginning of the Era of Fulfillment, unsurpassed alike in the duration of its Author's ministry and the fecundity and splendor of His mission -- such a Revelation was, as already noted, born amidst the darkness of a subterranean dungeon in Tihran -- an abominable pit that had once served as a reservoir of water for one of the public baths of the city.  101  Wrapped in its stygian gloom, breathing its fetid air, numbed by its humid and icy atmosphere, His feet in stocks, His neck weighed down by a mighty chain, surrounded by criminals and miscreants of the worst order, oppressed by the consciousness of the terrible blot that had stained the fair name of His beloved Faith, painfully aware of the dire distress that had overtaken its champions, and of the grave dangers that faced the remnant of its followers -- at so critical an hour and under such appalling circumstances the "Most Great Spirit," as designated by Himself, and symbolized in the Zoroastrian, the Mosaic, the Christian, and Muhammadan Dispensations by the Sacred Fire, the Burning Bush, the Dove and the Angel Gabriel respectively, descended upon, and revealed itself, personated by a "Maiden," to the agonized soul of Bahá'u'lláh.

"One night in a dream," He Himself, calling to mind, in the evening of His life, the first stirrings of God's Revelation within His soul, has written, "these exalted words were heard on every side: 'Verily, We shall render Thee victorious by Thyself and by Thy pen. Grieve Thou not for that which hath befallen Thee, neither be Thou afraid, for Thou art in safety. Ere long will God raise up the treasures of the earth -- men who will aid Thee through Thyself and through Thy Name, wherewith God hath revived the hearts of such as have recognized Him.'" In another passage He describes, briefly and graphically, the impact of the onrushing force of the Divine Summons upon His entire being -- an experience vividly recalling the vision of God that caused Moses to fall in a swoon, and the voice of Gabriel which plunged Muhammad into such consternation that, hurrying to the shelter of His home, He bade His wife, Khadijih, envelop Him in His mantle. "During the days I lay in the prison of Tihran," are His own memorable words, "though the galling weight of the chains and the stench-filled air allowed Me but little sleep, still in those infrequent moments of slumber I felt as if something flowed from the crown of My head over My breast, even as a mighty torrent that precipitateth itself upon the earth from the summit of a lofty mountain. Every limb of My body would, as a result, be set afire. At such moments My tongue recited what no man could bear to hear."

In His Suratu'l-Haykal (the Surih of the Temple) He thus describes those breathless moments when the Maiden, symbolizing the "Most Great Spirit" proclaimed His mission to the entire creation: "While engulfed in tribulations I heard a most wondrous, a most sweet voice, calling above My head. Turning My face, I beheld a Maiden -- the embodiment of the remembrance of the name of My Lord -- suspended  102  in the air before Me. So rejoiced was she in her very soul that her countenance shone with the ornament of the good-pleasure of God, and her cheeks glowed with the brightness of the All-Merciful. Betwixt earth and heaven she was raising a call which captivated the hearts and minds of men. She was imparting to both My inward and outer being tidings which rejoiced My soul, and the souls of God's honored servants. Pointing with her finger unto My head, she addressed all who are in heaven and all who are on earth, saying: 'By God! This is the Best-Beloved of the worlds, and yet ye comprehend not. This is the Beauty of God amongst you, and the power of His sovereignty within you, could ye but understand. This is the Mystery of God and His Treasure, the Cause of God and His glory unto all who are in the kingdoms of Revelation and of creation, if ye be of them that perceive.'"

	(Shoghi Effendi, God Passes By, p. 100)

"By My Life!" He asserts in another Tablet, "Not of Mine own volition have I revealed Myself, but God, of His own choosing, hath manifested Me." And again: "Whenever I chose to hold My peace and be still, lo, the Voice of the Holy Spirit, standing on My right hand, aroused Me, and the Most Great Spirit appeared before My face, and Gabriel overshadowed Me, and the Spirit of Glory stirred within My bosom, bidding Me arise and break My silence."
	(Shoghi Effendi, God Passes By, p. 102)

1974 - Revelation of Bahá'u'lláh (Adib Taherzadeh)
Family and Ancestry
Baha'u'llah, Whose name was Mirza Husayn-'Ali, was a nobleman of the province of Nur in Persia. A great Baha'i scholar, Mirza Abu'l-Fadl, through extensive historical research has verified that Baha'u'llah was descended from Zoroaster and the Sasaniyan kings of Persia, thereby fulfilling certain traditions that the great Redeemer of mankind would be of pure Persian lineage. Baha'u'llah was also descended from Abraham through His third wife Katurah, thus uniting in His own person two branches of the Aryan and Semitic religions.
He was born in Tihran in 1817 and His father Mirza Abbas, known in royal circles as Mirza Buzurg, was at the court of the Shah.
Message from Báb to Bahá'u'lláh
Almost nine years before His imprisonment in the Siyah-Chal, Baha'u'llah, through a special envoy, received a message from the Bab,[1] Who claimed to be the Herald of that Universal <p8> Manifestation of God foretold by the revealed religions of the world.
Bahá'u'lláh Promotes the Báb
Not long thereafter, Baha'u'llah arose to promote the Cause of the Bab, at first among His own relatives and close friends in the province of Nur, and then to others. As a result, several of them accepted the Bab and became active in making His Message known. Among these were some of Baha'u'llah's uncles, aunts, brothers, sisters and cousins, as well as certain notables and divines of Nur, a number of whom were later martyred.
[1 Siyyid Ali-Muhammad (1819-50).]
Qualities
To the noble qualities and virtues which had distinguished Baha'u'llah's life prior to the birth of the Babi Revelation were now added the strength and radiance of a new Faith. Thus, inevitably, He attracted a great deal of public attention. His innate knowledge, His insight and wisdom, His indomitable faith, His open championship of the Bab, His irresistible eloquence when expounding the newly-born Faith to groups of learned divines and the public, together with His resourcefulness, His penetrating judgement, and His unobtrusive yet effective leadership of the Babi community during the imprisonment of the Bab and after His martyrdom -- all these brought Him the adoration and respect of that community. So highly did His fellow-disciples esteem Him that they refrained from mentioning His name and instead referred to Him in the plural as 'They'. At the conference of Badasht He was designated Jinab-i-Baha,[1] an appellation which the pen of the Bab later confirmed.
[1 His Honour Baha.]
Opposition and Siyah Chal
The veneration shown to Him, coupled with His open proclamation of the Cause of the Bab, aroused the opposition of enemies who had already persecuted Him on various occasions and now awaited only an excuse, provided by the attempt on the life of Nasiri'd-Din Shah by a few irresponsible Babis, to imprison Him in the Siyah-Chal. He was arrested and forced to walk before royal horsemen and at their pace from Niyavaran to Tihran, a distance of about fifteen miles, in the burning heat of a summer day, barefoot and in chains. To further humiliate <p9> Him they removed His hat which in those days was the very symbol of a man's dignity.
The Siyah-Chal (Black Pit) was no ordinary prison, but a huge underground pit which once had served as a reservoir for one of the public baths of the city, and had only one entrance. It was situated in the heart of Tihran close to a palace of the Shah and adjacent to the Sabzih-Maydan, the scene of execution of the Seven Martyrs of Tihran. This dungeon was occupied by many prisoners, some of whom were without clothes or bedding. Its atmosphere was humid and dark, its air fetid and filled with a loathsome smell, its ground damp and littered with filth, and these conditions were matched by the brutality of the guards and officials towards the Babi victims who were chained together in that dismal place. The notorious chains of Qara-Guhar and Salasil, one of which was placed around Baha'u'llah's neck at all times, cut through His flesh and left their marks on His blessed body till the end of His life. They were so heavy that a special wooden fork was provided to support their weight.[1]
[1 Qara-Guhar, heavier than Salasil, weighed about seventeen 'man' (fifty-one kilos)]
Abdu'l-Bahá Visits Bahá'u'lláh and Faints
Through the kindness of one of the prison officials who was friendly towards Baha'u'llah, His eldest son Abdu'l-Baha, then nine years of age,[1] was taken one day to visit His Father at the Siyah-Chal. He had descended only half-way down the steps when Baha'u'llah caught sight of Him and ordered that the child be taken out immediately. He was permitted to wait in the prison yard until noon when the prisoners were allowed an hour of fresh air. When Abdu'l-Baha saw His Father, He was in chains and tied to His nephew, Mirza Mahmud. He walked with great difficulty, His beard and hair were unkempt, His neck bruised and swollen from the pressure of a heavy steel collar, and His back was bent with the weight of the chain. On witnessing this sight Abdu'l-Baha fainted and was carried home, unconscious.
[1 According to the lunar calendar. He was born 23 May 1844 and was in His ninth year.] <p10>
Mirza Mahmud
The fate of Mirza Mahmud was tragic. Notwithstanding the many favours that Baha'u'llah bestowed upon him and the unique honour which was his, to share the same chain as Baha'u'llah, he betrayed Him some years later by joining hands with His half-brother, Mirza Yahya, the breaker of the Covenant of the Bab and Baha'u'llah's arch-enemy.
Divine Call
While breathing the foul air of the Siyah-Chal, with His feet in stocks and His head weighed down by the mighty chain, Baha'u'llah received, as attested by Him in His Epistle to the Son of the Wolf, the first intimations of His station as the Supreme Manifestation of God -- He Whose appearance had been foretold by the Prophets of old in such terms as the 'reincarnation of Krishna', the 'fifth Buddha', the 'Shah Bahram', the 'Lord of Hosts', the Christ returned 'in the glory of the Father', the 'Spirit of God', and by the Bab as 'Him Whom God shall make manifest'. These are Baha'u'llah's words describing this initial experience of the 'Most Great Spirit'[1] stirring within His soul:
[1 The Manifestations of God have used different terms to describe the descent of the Spirit of God upon Them. In Christianity, the term 'Holy Spirit' is used, while Baha'u'llah designates this as the 'Most Great Spirit', signifying thereby the Revelation of God in its fullness. ]
During the days I lay in the prison of Tihran, though the galling weight of the chains and the stench-filled air allowed Me but little sleep, still in those infrequent moments of slumber I felt as if something flowed from the crown of My head over My breast, even as a mighty torrent that precipitateth itself upon the earth from the summit of a lofty mountain. Every limb of My body would, as a result, be set afire. At such moments My tongue recited what no man could bear to hear.(1)
Bábis Arrested in Nur
While Baha'u'llah lay in the prison of Tihran, Nasiri'd-Din Shah ordered his Prime Minister, Mirza Aqa Khan, to send troops to the province of Nur and arrest the followers of the Bab in that area. The Prime Minister -- who also came from Nur and was related to Baha'u'llah by the marriage of his niece <p11> to Mirza Muhammad-Hasan, His half-brother -- made efforts to protect Baha'u'llah's relatives in Nur, but failed.
Bahá'u'lláh's Possessions Confiscated
Baha'u'llah's properties were confiscated by the Shah and His house in Nur was razed to the ground. Even the Prime Minister took advantage of the situation and, without recompense, transferred the deeds of some of Baha'u'llah's properties into his own name. The luxurious house of Baha'u'llah in Tihran was plundered and its valuable furnishings were removed. Some unique articles, together with many more of great value, fell into the hands of the Prime Minister. Among them were part of a Tablet, inscribed on leather by the hand of Imam Ali, successor to Muhammad, which was over a thousand years old and known to be priceless, and a rare manuscript of the poems of Hafiz written by a celebrated calligrapher.[1]
[1 Muhammad Shah had once been eager to own this manuscript, but when he learned that for each of its twelve thousand verses he would have to pay one golden sovereign, he abandoned the idea. ]
Bábis Martyred, Bahá'u'lláh Spared
Although most of the Babis were taken from the prison, one by one, and martyred in the adjoining market square of Sabzih-Maydan, Baha'u'llah's life was providentially spared. After four months He was released, but was ordered to leave Persia within a month. <p12>
???? - Furutan Memories "Stories of Bahá'u'lláh"
Child Never Cries
"The mother of [Bahá'u'lláh] was so enthralled with Him that she could not contain her amazement at His behavior. 'This child never cries,' she would say; 'He is so unlike other babies who cry and scream and are forever restless while in the nursing stage..."
(p. 1)
Tax Collector
"While still a child, the Blessed Beauty watched as a government tax-collector, on three separate occasions, accosted His father and demanded in a cruel and unjust manner, the payment of taxes. Unable to bear the injustice of it all, He though in early childhood, mounted His horse and rode for two days until He arrived in Tihran. There, He sought the dismissal of the unjust and tyrannical tax-collector. He succeeded in obtaining the necessary papers ordering the dismissal, and returned to His parents."
(Memoirs of Dr Diya Baghdadi, unpublished, reporting words heard from Abdu'l-Baha)
Stories of Baha'u'llah, *Compiled by 'Ali-Akbar Furutan, pp2-3 -- George
Ronald, Publisher
???? - Bahá'u'lláh (Balyuzi)
1980 - King of Glory (Balyuzi)
Mirza Husayn 'Ali Nuri, Whom history knows as Bahá'u'lláh - the Glory of God - was born at dawn on 2 Muharram AH 1233, 12 November 1817, in Tihran, the capital of Persia.
(H.M. Balyuzi, Baha'u'llah - The King of Glory.ocn1, p. 7)
1
The Ancestry of Baha'u'llah
BAHA'U'LLAH was descended from the pre-Islamic monarchs of Iran. He came from a region of the country, bordering on the Caspian Sea and well protected by the high peaks of the Alburz range, whose dwellers, for scores of years after the victory of Arab arms, continued to defy the invader, refusing to accept the new ordering and new Faith. And when they finally bowed to the inevitable, they submitted not to the system accepted by the generality of Muslims and represented by the Caliphate in Baghdad, but to the Shi'ism of the Zaydi variety. In the succeeding centuries there were a number of dynasties and petty kingdoms which held sway and guarded their autonomy in the fastnesses of mountains and in the depths of thick forests by the Caspian Sea. And strangely enough, when Shah Isma'il united all of Iran in allegiance to the apostolic Imams of the House of the Prophet, Aqa Rustam-i-Ruzafzun, the last of these proud potentates, refused to recognize his authority, and chose to put his trust in Muhammad Khan-i-Shaybani (also known as Shaybak Khan), the Sunni Uzbak ruler of Transoxania, to overthrow the Safavid upstart. But fate decreed otherwise, and it was Shaybak Khan who met defeat and lost his life. Aqa Rustam, it is said, died of fright when a devotee of Shah Isma'il threw the severed hand of the Uzbak ruler onto his lap.
It is to Yazdigird III, the last Sasanian monarch to occupy the throne of Iran, that the genealogy of Baha'u'llah can be traced. Ustad Javanmard, the principal of the Zoroastrian school of Yazd, presented seven queries to Baha'u'llah, the seventh of which concerned His ancestry. The Tablet known as Shir-Mard (Lion of a Man) - thus called because the recipient was so addressed by Baha'u'llah - was sent to him in reply. (This Tablet is also known as Lawh-i-Haft-Pursish.) Answering his questions one by one, to the seventh query Baha'u'llah responded by referring him to the genealogy which Mirza Abu'l-Fadl-i-Gulpaygani had gathered and compiled. Many years later, in the <p11> year AH 1320 (10 April 1902-30 March 1903), Aqa Khusraw Biman, who was also of Zoroastrian origin, was visiting the Holy Land. He asked resident Baha'is[1] for information regarding the ancestry of Baha'u'llah. They presented his request to 'Abdu'l-Baha, who also referred them to Mirza Abu'l-Fadl-i-Gulpaygani, then visiting the United States. Mirza Abu'l-Fadl's answer to Aqa Khusraw Biman's letter was published in Bombay, at a later date, as a pamphlet.
[1 He names them, in a pamphlet published in Bombay, as Zaynu'l-Muqarrabin, Aqa Muhammad-Riday-i-Qannad and Mirza Mahmud-i-Kashani.]
Mirza Abu'l-Fadl, designated by the Guardian of the Baha'i Faith as one of the nineteen 'Apostles of Baha'u'llah', was a man of rare erudition and a degree of scholarship so far unequalled amongst the followers of Baha'u'llah, whether in the East or in the West. In his reply to Aqa Khusraw Biman, he describes how his interest was aroused in the genealogy of Baha'u'llah, and how his researches led him to Yazdigird III, the last of the Sasanian monarchs of Iran. He goes on to state, however, that his work, which Baha'u'llah had mentioned in the Tablet addressed to the schoolmaster of Yazd, was lost when he and a number of other Baha'is were arrested in Tihran in the early months of 1883 by the order of Kamran Mirza, the Nayibu's-Saltanih, son of Nasiri'd-Din Shah.
Mirza Abu'l-Fadl writes that he was, in the course of his investigation, particularly impressed by the fact that so severe and unsympathetic a critic of the Baha'i Faith (and so hostile a commentator) as Rida-Quli Khan-i-Hidayat,[1] entitled the Amiru'sh-Shu'ara' (The Emir of Poets), had admitted in the Nizhad-Namih (The Book of Ancestry), that the Nuris of Mazindaran are descended from Chosroes I, the renowned Sasanian monarch known as 'Adil (The Just). And final confirmation came from Haji Mirza Rida-Quli, a half-brother of Baha'u'llah, who told Mirza Abu'l-Fadl categorically, in answer to his query, that the Nuris possessed a genealogical table tracing their line back to Yazdigird the Sasanian.
[1 Poet and historian of the nineteenth century, author of the supplement to the Rawdatu's-Safa of Mirkhund. See E.G. Browne. A Literary History of Persia, vol. IV; also H.M. Balyuzi, The Bab, pp. 141, 142.]
The father of Baha'u'llah was Mirza 'Abbas-i-Nuri, the son of Mirza Rida-Quli Big,[1] of the village of Takur, in the district of Nur, of the province of Mazindaran. Mirza 'Abbas came to be known as <p12> Mirza Buzurg-i-Vazir (Mirza Buzurg, the Vizier). And this is how it happened. One day Fath-'Ali Shah (reigned 1797-1834) was shown a masterpiece of calligraphy by Mir 'Imad, the celebrated calligrapher. Marvellous was the beauty of that piece of handwriting, and Fath-'Ali Shah wondered if anyone living could match its excellence. Hasan-'Ali Mirza, the Shuja'u's-Saltanih, the sixth son of the Shah, mentioned the name of Mirza 'Abbas-i-Nuri. He was sent for, shown the work of Mir 'Imad, and challenged to produce its like. Thereupon Mirza 'Abbas took Mir 'Imad's masterpiece, copied it, and after that exercise wrote his own lines, had them suitably illuminated and presented them to Fath-'Ali Shah. The Shah's admiration was boundless. A royal decree bestowed upon Mirza 'Abbas the name Mirza Buzurg, and invested him with a robe of honour - a garment which the monarch himself had worn. At the same time the Shah exempted the people of the village of Takur from the payment of taxes. A few years later, Mirza Buzurg was appointed vizier to Imam-Virdi Mirza, the twelfth son of Fath-'Ali Shah, who was the Ilkhani' (chief of the clans) of the Qajar tribe (to which the royal family itself belonged).
[1 Mirza Rida-Quli Big's father was also named Mirza 'Abbas, son of Haji Muhammad-Rida Big, son of Aqa Muhammad-'Ali, son of Aqa Fakhr, son of Shahriyar-Hasan.]
Mirza Buzurg prospered in the service of the State, until the days of Muhammad Shah (reigned 1834-48), when he encountered the ill will of that monarch's notorious grand vizier, Haji Mirza Aqasi, and lost his position and much of his considerable wealth. <p13>
2
The Family of Baha'u'llah
MIRZA Buzurg, Vazir-i-Nuri, the father of Baha'u'llah, had seven wives, three of whom were concubines.
First Wife, Khan-Nanih, and Children
It was his father, Rida-Quli Big, who arranged his first marriage to a relative of the family, named Khan-Nanih, before Mirza Buzurg left the district of Nur in Mazindaran to make his fortune in Tihran. Two sons, Mirza Aqa, the elder, and Mirza Muhammad-Hasan, were born of this union. Baha'u'llah mentions an occasion in His childhood, in the Persian Lawh-i-Ra'is - a Tablet addressed to 'Ali Pasha, the Ottoman grand vizier - when, during the nuptial fete of His brother, Mirza Aqa, who did not have long to live, His attention was drawn to a puppet show. Afterwards, Mirza Buzurg gave the widow in marriage to his second son, Mirza Muhammad-Hasan. This lady was a cousin of Mirza Aqa Khan-i-Nuri, the second grand vizier of Nasiri'd-Din Shah.
Second Wife, Khadijih Khanum, and Children
Mirza Buzurg's second wife was Khadijih Khanum, who had been married once before and was widowed. She had one son and two daughters by her first marriage, namely, Mirza Muhammad-'Ali, Sakinih Khanum and Sughra Khanum. Mirza Buzurg took Khadijih Khanum as his wife and wedded her daughter, Sakinih Khanum, to his younger brother, Mirza Muhammad. Khadijih Khanum was the mother of Baha'u'llah (Mirza Husayn-'Ali). The first-born of that marriage was a daughter, Sarih Khanum; she is generally known as 'Ukht', Arabic for sister, because Baha'u'llah has thus referred to her. The next was a son, Mirza Mihdi, who died in his father's lifetime; and Mirza Husayn-'Ali (Baha'u'llah) was the third-born. The fourth was another son, Mirza Musa, entitled Aqay-i-Kalim later years, and the fifth was another daughter, Nisa' Khanum, who was married eventually to Mirza Majid-i-Ahi, a secretary of the Russian Legation.
Third Wife, Kulthum Khanum-i-Nuri, and Children
The third wife of Mirza Buzurg was Kulthum Khanum-i-Nuri, by whom he had five children. The first was a daughter, Shah-Sultan Khanum (also called 'Izziyih Khanum), who became a firm supporter <p14> of Mirza Yahya (Subh-i-Azal). Next came three sons: Mirza Taqi, a poet with the sobriquet Parishan, who became a Shaykhi much opposed to Baha'u'llah; Mirza Rida-Quli, who earned the designation 'Haji' by his pilgrimage to Mecca, and who kept apart from Baha'u'llah, even trying to conceal the fact of their relationship (see p.443), although his wife, Maryam, was greatly devoted to Him; and the third son, Mirza Ibrahim, who also died in his father's lifetime. The fifth child of that marriage of Mirza Buzurg was another daughter, Fatimih-Sultan Khanum, who also chose to follow Mirza Yahya into the wilderness.
Wives Four-Six (Concubines) and Children
The next three wives of Mirza Buzurg were concubines. The first was Kuchik Khanum of Kirmanshah, the mother of Mirza Yahya.
The second was a Georgian lady, Nabat Khanum, and by her Mirza Buzurg had another daughter, Husniyyih Khanum, of whom not much is known.
The last concubine, Turkamaniyyih, was the mother of Mirza Muhammad-Quli who was greatly devoted to Baha'u'llah.
Seventh Wife, Diya'u's-Saltanih, Daughter of Fath-'Alí Shah, and Children
And then came Mirza Buzurg's marriage to a daughter of Fath-'Ali
Shah.  This lady, who was entitled Diya'u's-Saltanih[1] - like her husband, a noted calligraphist - overbearing, haughty and grasping.
Their marriage was to bring the Vazir-i-Nuri nothing but misfortune
and, in the end, to prove his undoing.
[1 According to I'timadu's-Saltanih's Muntazim-i-Nasiri (Tihran 1300, p. 161), her name was Shah Bigum.]  <p15>
Qa'im-Maqam and Father's Downfall
Haji Mirza Aqasi, the Prime Minister, was both vain and vengeful, and, as mentioned in the preceding chapter, he was antagonistic to Mirza Buzurg. One reason which prompted his enmity was Mirza Buzurg's particular friendship with the celebrated Qa'im-Maqam, Mirza Abu'l-Qasim of Farahan. These two thought very highly of each other, as evidenced by letters contained in the Compendium of Letters by the great Minister.[1] In June 1835 the Qa'im-Maqam was treacherously put to death by Muhammad Shah. The very manner of his fall from power and his execution, which was followed by the rise to high office of Haji Mirza Aqasi, left no doubt in the mind of Mirza Buzurg that the sad fate of his dear friend was to be attributed to the low cunning of the monster who was now in the saddle, and he could not hide his feelings of horror and disgust. One of his letters condemnatory of Haji Mirza Aqasi fell into the hands of the Grand Vizier, who, before long, retaliated with force. As soon as he conveniently could, he struck at Mirza Buzurg. First, he had Mirza Buzurg dismissed from the governorship of Burujird and Luristan. This post, which included control over a sizeable part of the Bakhtiyari territory - a very disturbed and rebellious region - has been entrusted to Mirza Buzurg by his great friend, Mirza Abu'l-Qasim, the Qa'im-Maqam, soon after <p16> the accession of Muhammad Shah to the throne. A document exists in the handwriting of Muhammad Shah himself, commending and praising the services rendered by Mirza Buzurg in this capacity.[2] Next, Haji Mirza Aqasi stopped Mirza Buzurg's annual allowance. Then, he did all in his power to disturb the relationship between Mirza Buzurg and his last wife, Diya'u's-Saltanih, the daughter of Fath-'Ali Shah. Through her nephew, Firaydun Mirza, the Farman-Farma - who had been his favourite for the governorship of the province of Fars - he induced Diya'u's-Saltanih to seek and obtain divorce from her husband. Mirza Buzurg was already in dire financial straits, for he had a very large family, and the yearly allowance, which was rightly his, was no longer available because of the malice of Haji Mirza Aqasi. He had had to sell a part of his properties and mortgage others, including the complex of houses in Tihran in which he and his family resided. For a while, these houses had passed out of his possession, until he had bought them back through his son, Mirza Husayn-'Ali (Baha'u'llah). Mirza Buzurg had the added misfortune of losing the better part of the palatial mansion which he had built and richly furnished in Takur, by the descent of floods upon the town.
[1 This Compendium was compiled and edited, in later years, at the instance of Haji Farhad Mirza, the Mu'tamidu'd-Dawlih, a brother of Muhammad-Shah. It has been printed several times, under the title Munshi'at-Qa'im Maqam, to provide a guide to and an example of excellence of style and diction.]
Father's Tax-Raising Abilities
[2 It appears that for a time Mirza Buzurg was also vazir of this province - the official responsible for the collection of taxes. Mirza Buzurg seems to have been particularly successful in organizing and levying taxes among the unruly and remote Luri tribesmen - a feat that eluded most of his predecessors and successors in this post. In his 'Notes on a March from Zohab to Khuzistan', Sir Henry Rawlinson remarks: 'The valuation of katir [the unit of taxation, usually about 100 tumans] varies . . . according to the state of the province; but under the late Wazir, Mirza Buzurg, who administered the revenues with eminent success for about ten years, it was raised to the rate of 200 old tomans, or 333 1/3 of the present currency; the 120 katirs [being the assessment of the tribes of Pish-Kuh] were, therefore, equivalent to 40,000 tomans, and the amount annually realized from Pish-Kuh alone rather exceeded than fell short of this sum. [Rawlinson then sets out the classification of the tribes and the revenue system as observed by Mirza Buzurg] . . . The system of revenue of Pish-Kuh is very simple; when the 120 katirs have been duly distributed among the tribes . . . each subdivision determines the amount of share to be paid by the different camps of which it is composed . . . But in a wild country like this, where many of the tribes live in a state of open rebellion . . . the governor would certainly fail in his contract to the crown, unless he had indirect means of raising an extraordinary revenue to make up for many defalcations. Mirza Buzurg, therefore, introduced an extensive system of fees and fines; and, where robberies and murder were of almost daily occurrence he did not want opportunities of exaction; indeed he is said to have realized about 20,000 tomans annually in this manner, and that, too, without cruelty or injustice.'1]
Diya'u's-Saltanih, with the backing of the Grand Vizier and her powerful nephew, Firaydun Mirza, forced through her divorce. But the marriage settlement was of such proportions that the Vazir-i-Nuri, enmeshed as he was in financial difficulties, could not pay it immediately. Diya'u's-Saltanih then had Mirza Buzurg imprisoned in his own house, and set men to beat him daily and torture him so as to extort the <p17> money from him. At last, Mirza Buzurg was obliged to sell, once again, his complex of houses in Tihran, and part with the valuable carpets and other furnishings which they contained. In the Epistle to the Son of the Wolf, Baha'u'llah refers to the sale of these houses:
In the early days we all lived in one house, which later on was sold
at auction, for a negligible sum, and the two brothers, Farman-Farma
[Firaydun Mirza] and Hisamu's-Saltanih [Sultan-Murad Mirza], purchased it and divided it between themselves.  After this occurred, We
separated from Our brother.[1]  He established his residence close to the
entrance of Masjid-i-Shah [the Mosque of the Shah], whilst We lived near the Gate of Shimiran [Shimran].2
[1 This brother mentioned by Baha'u'llah was Mirza Rida-Quli. (HMB)]
Baha'u'llah Rents House Near Gate of Shimran
Kulthum Khanum, the third wife of Mirza Buzurg and mother of Haji Mirza Rida-Quli, had inherited the house 'close to the entrance of Masjid-i-Shah' from her father. Mirza Buzurg moved to that house. Mirza Husayn-'Ali (Baha'u'llah) rented the house 'near the Gate' of Shimran, and took His mother, His wife, His other step-mothers and the rest of His brothers and sisters to live with Him. This rented house remained His residence for the remaining years He spent in Iran. It was near the Madrisiy-i-Mirza Salih, the theological college where Mulla Husayn-i-Bushru'i would stay when bearing the message of the Bab to Tihran. The children of Baha'u'llah - 'Abdu'l-Baha (the Most Great Branch), Baha'iyyih Khanum (the Greatest Holy Leaf) and Mirza Mihdi (the Purest Branch) - were all born in this rented house; their mother was his first wife, Asiyih Khanum.
Regaining Houses
After the storms subsided, Mirza Buzurg made an effort to regain the houses which he had had to sell under duress 'for a negligible sum'. A document exists in the handwriting of Baha'u'llah, drawn up for the purpose of eliciting from those in the know their testimony to the fact that the sale of the houses had taken place under unlawful pressure. But it did not produce the desired effect and no restitution was made.[1]
[1 Two other documents are also extant, issued by two of the noted divines of the capital, one the brother of the Imam-Jum'ih, pronouncing the illegality of the sale by auction of the houses of Mirza Buzurg-i-Nuri.]
Father Dies
Mirza Buzurg then decided to retire to 'Iraq, but death supervened. He passed away in 1839, and his body was taken to 'Iraq and buried at Najaf, where the tomb of 'Ali - the cousin of the Prophet Muhammad, the first apostolic Imam and the fourth caliph - is situated. He was survived by seven sons and five daughters. Apart from the Central <p18> Figure of this history, we shall, time and again, meet in its course other sons of this remarkable and highly-respected Nuri minister. Manuscripts exist in his superb and much-admired handwriting, in various collections both in and outside of Iran. There is one such scroll in the International Archives of the Baha'i Faith on Mount Carmel.
Diya'u's-Saltanih Remarries, Her Children
Diya'u's-Saltanih, after obtaining her divorce and receiving her marriage settlement, married Haji Mas'ud-i-Garmrudi, who held the post of Foreign Minister of Iran for a considerable time. They had a daughter, named Shahanshah Bigum, who embraced the Faith of Baha'u'llah; always she deplored what her mother had done to Mirza Buzurg. Of the two daughters of Shahanshah Bigum herself, one was married to Ibn-i-Asdaq, one of the four Hands of the Cause of God appointed by Baha'u'llah, and the other to Intizamu's-Saltanih, who was greatly devoted to 'Abdu'l-Baha, and whose sons rose high in the service of the State. <p19>
3
Childhood and Early Life of Bahá'u'lláh
Location
BAHA'U'LLAH was born and brought up in Tihran, in a house in the district known as Darvazih Shimran (Shimran Gate). In those days this district was on the edge of the city, close to the moat which was filled in during the reign of Nasiri'd-Din Shah. Another moat was dug much further away: that too has now disappeared. But the house of Mirza Buzurg and its adjuncts still stand today.
Infancy Qualities
The infancy of Baha'u'llah was a cause of astonishment to His mother, as 'Abdu'l-Baha recalled one day. He never cried, never showed restlessness. Mirza Buzurg had come to realize that amongst all his sons and daughters, this son, Mirza Husayn-'Ali, was one apart.
Takur Summer Residence
It will be remembered that Takur, in the district of Nur, was the home of Mirza Buzurg and his ancestors. There he had built a palatial house, and Baha'u'llah always spent part of the year in Takur, usually in the summer months. Mirza Buzurg, in his own masterly calligraphic hand, had written the following lines in a prominent place in that mansion:
When thou reachest the threshold of the Beloved say 'Aye',
For there neither 'salam' nor 'alayk' can find a way.[1]
This is the vale of Love, hold thy steps;
This is holy ground, shed thy foot-gear.[2]
[1 Salam means 'Peace'; 'alayk means 'upon thee'.]
[2 That is what Moses heard on Mount Sinai, as He approached the Burning Bush.]
To this day, those lines written by Mirza Buzurg have endured.
Dream of Birds and Fish
When Baha'u'llah was a child of five or six years, He dreamt that He was in a garden where huge birds were flying overhead and attacking Him, but they could not harm Him; then went to bathe in the sea, and there he was attacked by fishes, but they too could cause Him no injury. Baha'u'llah related this strange dream to His father, and Mirza Buzurg sent for a man who claimed to interpret dreams. After making his calculations, he told Mirza Buzurg that the expanse of the sea was <p20> this world in its entirety, and the birds and fishes were the peoples of the world assailing his Son, because He would promulgate something of vital importance related to the minds of men. But they would be powerless to harm Him, for He would triumph over them all to achieve a momentous matter.
Short But Wise
It is related that one day, when Mirza Husayn-'Ali was seven years old, as He was walking His parents were watching Him, and His mother remarked that He was a little short in stature. His father replied: 'That matters not. Do you not know how intelligent He is and what a wonderful mind He has!'.
Education
The education and instruction which Mirza Husayn-'Ali received was limited both in nature and extent, as He Himself states in the Tablet addressed to Nasiri'd-Din Shah: 'The learning current amongst men I studied not; their schools I entered not. Ask of the city wherein I dwelt, that thou mayest be well assured that I am not of them who speak falsely.'
In those days, the scions of noble houses were taught such matters as befitted their station in life, such as riding, handling a gun, wielding a sword, calligraphy, acquaintance with the works of the great classical poets of the land, a good reading knowledge of the Holy Book, the Qur'an, and hardly ever anything more. They were given such instruction by tutors, specially engaged by the parents, who were also required to teach them good manners. <p21>
Fame
But as Mirza Husayn-'Ali, the son of the Vazir-i-Nuri, grew up, the fame of His keen intelligence, His alert mind, His upright character, His benign, compassionate, benevolent nature, spread.
By the time Mirza Husayn-'Ali was fourteen, His rare understanding, His complete mastery of argument, and His unparalleled powers of exposition were remarked in all circles. Yet He was never assertive nor argumentative; rather, always courteous and patient. Only one thing aroused His ire, and that was any disrespectful reference to the Messengers of God and His Chosen Ones. Even then He would admonish the offender with kindliness and calm.
Turbaned Divines On Gabriel
In a Tablet addressed to a Baha'i of Shiraz, Baha'u'llah Himself tells of an incident in His childhood, when two hugely-turbaned divines were expounding theological questions to ladies in purdah. One such was whether the angel Gabriel had a higher station than Qanbar, the slave of 'Ali (the first Imam), who was greatly devoted to his master. Another concerned the station of 'Abbas, the brother of Husayn (the third Imam), who suffered a martyr's death with the Imam in Karbila; had he a rank higher than Salman the Persian (Salman-i-Farsi), who was one of the companions of the Prophet Muhammad? Baha'u'llah recalls in that Tablet that He was astonished by this line and tone of argument, for if Gabriel, as stated in the holy Book, was the One by Whom the Holy Spirit descended upon the heart of the Apostle of God, then even the master of Qanbar could have no entry to that sphere.
Shaykh Muhammad-Taqi
In Yalrud there lived a mujtahid, Shaykh Muhammad-Taqi (see Addendum V), well-famed throughout the land. He had a thousand scholars of divinity around him, whom he taught and, from time to time, presented with a complex question to resolve. Whenever He returned to His home in Takur, Baha'u'llah would usually stop for a while in Yalrud, and here He would visit the mujtahid, who was distantly related to His family.[1]
Dream of Qa'im
'Abdu'l-Baha has described how His own grandmother, who lived in Yalrud, went one day at dawn to the house of the mujtahid to pray. After the morning prayer Shaykh Muhammad-Taqi told her that he had some excellent news for her. He had had a dream in which he had found himself outside a house which no one was allowed to enter, because, said the door-keeper, within it the Qa'im of the House of Muhammad was closeted with Mirza <p22> Husayn-'Ali of Nur. At first the mujtahid had expressed his surprise that the son of a vizier should be so privileged; but on remembering their distant kinship, he had ascribed the privilege to this fact.
[1 Yalrud was the home of Asiyih Khanum, the future wife of Baha'u'llah.]
Fatimah and Mary Conundrum
During a visit to Yalrud, when Mirza Husayn-'Ali was sitting in the company of Shaykh Muhammad-Taqi and other scholars and divines, He was asked to resolve a question they had been unable to answer to the mujtahid's satisfaction. The problem was this: an Islamic tradition states that 'Fatimih is the best of the women of this world, but for the one born of Mary'. But since Mary had no daughter, what did this conundrum mean? Baha'u'llah replied that the initial statement emphasized the impossibility of its alternative, since there could be no other woman comparable to Fatimih. It was like saying that a certain monarch is the greatest of the kings of this world, except for the one who comes down from Heaven; since no king has or will come down from Heaven, the uniqueness of that one monarch is stressed. Baha'u'llah's explanation left the great mujtahid silent, but next day he upbraided his disciples for having let him down badly. 'I have taught and trained you for years on end,' he complained, 'but when the need arises, I find you wanting in understanding, whereas an unturbaned youth has brilliantly explained the problem I had presented to you.'
Dream of Rooms of Trunks
At another time, Shaykh Muhammad-Taqi had a dream of coming upon a room filled with trunks, which, he was told, belonged to Baha'u'llah. On opening one of them, he found it packed with books, and all the lines of those books studded with gems, the brilliance of which awakened him, he said.
Jesus at Door Discussion
Mirza Abu'l-Fadl-i-Gulpaygani relates in one of his works what he himself heard from a divine. In a gathering where Baha'u'llah was present, Mirza Nazar-'Ali of Qazvin (see Addendum V), the celebrated Sufi murshid who was highly esteemed by Muhammad Shah, was holding forth on the station that a human being can attain. Referring to himself, he said, 'Should my servant come to me and say that Jesus the Christ was at the door, asking for me, my detachment is such that I would express no wish to see Him.' Some of those present kept silent, while others out of flattery murmured assent. Only Mirza Husayn-'Ali spoke up. He turned to the Qazvini braggart, who had expressed such disrespect for a Manifestation of God, and said:[1] 'You are very close to the person of the sovereign and he is very devoted to <p23> you, but if the chief executioner with ten of his men were to come to this door and tell you that the monarch wanted to see you, would you take it calmly or would you be perturbed?' Mirza Nazar-'Ali paused for a while before replying, 'In truth, I would feel anxious.' 'In that case,' said Baha'u'llah, 'you should not make such an assertion.' Baha'u'llah's authoritative statement, according to Mirza Abu'l-Fadl, left them all speechless.
[1 The words spoken by Baha'u'llah in this anecdote are not an exact quotation.]
Marries Asiyih Khanum
When Baha'u'llah was nearly fifteen years old, His elder sister Sarih Khanum and Mirza Mahmud, the son of Mirza Isma'il-i-Vazir of Yalrud, were married. This Mirza Mahmud, who never espoused the new Faith, had a younger sister, Asiyih Khanum: winsome, vivacious and exceedingly beautiful. As soon as she came of age, and Baha'u'llah was nearly eighteen, Sarih Khanum requested her father, Mirza Buzurg, to ask the hand of this sister-in-law for her Brother, Mirza Husayn-'Ali. Their marriage took place in Jamadiyu'l-Ukhra (Jamadiyu'th-Thani) AH 1251 (about October 1835). Asiyih Khanum was the mother of 'Abdu'l-Baha.
Politics - Letter Disclosed
Even those who were inimical towards His father, held Baha'u'llah in high esteem. One such was the Grand Vizier, Haji Mirza Aqasi. Rightly, Mirza Buzurg had suspected that Haji Mirza Aqasi was largely responsible for the dismissal and the murder of that great man, his very good friend, Mirza Abu'l-Qasim, the Qa'im-Maqam. At one time it was rumoured that Muhammad Shah had replaced the Haji <p25> with another grand vizier, namely Amir-Nizam of Kirmanshah. Mirza Buzurg, who was then the Governor of Burujird and Luristan, expressed his delight in a letter to Prince Bahman Mirza - a stormy petrel of Persian politics who eventually fled to Russia - and included this line:
'May this satyr be kept away from the Shah.'
Bahman Mirza, who was not at all friendly towards Mirza Buzurg, showed this letter to Haji Mirza Aqasi. Infuriated, the latter sent for Mirza Husayn-'Ali and gave Him the letter His father had written to Bahman Mirza, saying, 'See this; I do not know what I have done to your father to deserve this.' Mirza Husayn-'Ali kept silent. Then Mirza Shafi' Khan, the Sahib-Divan, who was present, took the letter, had a good look at it and, in order to smooth matters, said, 'This is not written by Mirza Buzurg. Someone has imitated him', whereat Haji Mirza Aqasi exclaimed, 'Impossible! There is no one who can produce such a beautiful specimen of calligraphy and such a wonderful piece of writing, such prose!' Still Mirza Husayn-'Ali kept silent. Once again the Haji turned to Him: 'What shall I, what can I do? He is your father. For your sake I will try to forget this and let bygones be bygones; but write to your father and advise him not to do it again.' <p26>
4
The Dawn
IT was during the reign of Muhammad Shah, in the year 1844, that the dawn of the long-awaited Day of God, foretold by all the Scriptures of mankind, appeared resplendent in the famed and delectable city of Shiraz - the home and the resting-place of two of the greatest figures in the literary history of Iran, Sa'di and Hafiz, both of whom, in their own ways, prophetically foresaw the coming glory of their city and the rise of that wondrous orb, the Sun of Truth, in the person of the Bab.
Hafiz wrote:1
Shiraz shall tumultuous be, and One sweet-lipped
there shall be,
The wonders of whose lips shall set Baghdad
a-trembling.
And Sa'di:2
By God!  This realm merits not darkness and gloom,
This throne-seat of Solomon and of the Mystery of God.
In the centennial year of that effulgent dawn, the Guardian of the Baha'i Faith wrote:
'May 23, 1844, signalizes the commencement of the most turbulent period of the Heroic Age of the Baha'i Era, an age which marks the opening of the most glorious epoch in the greatest cycle which the spiritual history of mankind has yet witnessed. No more than a span of nine short years marks the duration of this most spectacular, this most tragic, this most eventful period of the first Baha'i century. It was ushered in by the birth of a Revelation whose Bearer posterity will acclaim as the 'Point round Whom the realities of the Prophets and Messengers revolve,' and terminated with the first stirrings of a still more potent Revelation, 'whose day' Baha'u'llah Himself affirms. 'every Prophet hath announced,' 'for which 'the soul of every Divine <p27> Messenger hath thirsted,' and through which 'God hath proved the hearts of the entire company of His Messengers and Prophets.' . . . In sheer dramatic power, in the rapidity with which events of momentous importance succeeded each other, in the holocaust which baptized its birth, in the miraculous circumstances attending the martyrdom of the One Who had ushered it in, in the potentialities with which it had been from the outset so thoroughly impregnated, in the forces to which it eventually gave birth, this nine-year period may well rank as unique in the whole range of man's religious experience. We behold, as we survey the episodes of this first act of a sublime drama, the figure of its Master Hero, the Bab, arise meteor-like above the horizon of Shiraz, traverse the sombre sky of Persia from south to north, decline with tragic swiftness, and perish in a blaze of glory. We see His satellites, a galaxy of God-intoxicated heroes, mount above that same horizon, irradiate that same incandescent light, burn themselves out with that self-same swiftness, and impart in their turn an added impetus to the steadily gathering momentum of God's nascent Faith. . . .
'The opening scene of the initial act of this great drama was laid in the upper chamber of the modest residence of the son of a mercer of Shiraz, in an obscure corner of that city. The time was the hour before sunset, on the 22nd day of May, 1844. The participants were the Bab, a twenty-five year old siyyid, of pure and holy lineage, and the young Mulla Husayn, the first to believe in Him. Their meeting immediately before that interview seemed to be purely fortuitous. The interview itself was protracted till the hour of dawn. The Host remained closeted alone with His guest, nor was the sleeping city remotely aware of the import of the conversation they held with each other. No record has passed to posterity of that unique night save the fragmentary but highly illuminating account that fell from the lips of Mulla Husayn.
'"I sat spellbound by His utterance, oblivious of time and of those who awaited me,"[1] he himself has testified, after describing the nature of the questions he had put to his Host and the conclusive replies he had received from Him, replies which had established beyond the shadow of a doubt the validity of His claim to be the promised Qa'im. "Suddenly the call of the Mu'adhdhin [muezzin], summoning the <p28> 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 [the Qur'an] 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!'" Sleep had departed from me that night. I was enthralled by the music of that voice which rose and fell as He chanted; now swelling forth as He revealed verses of the Qayyumu'l-Asma', again acquiring ethereal, subtle harmonies as He uttered the prayers He was revealing. 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!'". . .
[1 They were his brother, nephew and other companions, who had come together from Karbila to Shiraz, as if drawn by a magnet, in their quest. Their teacher and mentor, Siyyid Kazim-i-Rashti (who had died some months before) had told them to keep watch, because the advent of the Sahibu'z-Zaman (the Lord of the Age), the Qa'im of the House of Muhammad, was close at hand. (HMB)]
'A more significant light, however, is shed on this episode, marking the Declaration of the Mission of the Bab, by the perusal of that "first, greatest and mightiest" of all books in the Babi Dispensation, the celebrated commentary on the Surih of Joseph, the first chapter of which, we are assured, proceeded in its entirety, in the course of that night of nights from the pen of its divine Revealer. The description of this episode by Mulla Husayn, as well as the opening pages of that Book attest the magnitude and force of that weighty Declaration. A claim to be no less than the mouthpiece of God Himself, promised by the Prophets of bygone ages; the assertion that He was, at the same time, the Herald of One immeasurably greater than Himself; the summons which He trumpeted forth to the kings and princes of the earth; the dire warnings directed to the Chief Magistrate of the realm, Muhammad Shah; the counsel imparted to Haji Mirza Aqasi to fear God, and the peremptory command to abdicate his authority as grand vizir of the Shah and submit to the One Who is the "Inheritor of the earth and all that is therein''; the challenge issued to the rulers of the world proclaiming the self-sufficiency of His Cause, denouncing the vanity of their ephemeral power, and calling upon them to "lay aside, one and all, their dominion, "and deliver His Message to "lands in both <p29> the East and the West" - these constitute the dominant features of that initial contact that marked the birth, and fixed the date, of the inception of the most glorious era in the spiritual life of mankind.'3
The Bab (the Gate) laid the injunction on Mulla Husayn-i-Bushru'i - who was soon to be known as Babu'l-Bab (the Gate of the Gate) - not to divulge His name (Siyyid 'Ali-Muhammad) to anyone. Nor should he show any sign that he had reached the end of his quest, had been led to the Qa'im of the House of Muhammad, the Sahibu'z-Zaman, had recognized Him, believed in Him and given Him whole-hearted allegiance. The secret of that most auspicious night was, for the time being, to remain a secret. Seventeen others, the Bab said, must seek Him, find Him and recognize Him, entirely by themselves.
The Guardian of the Baha'i Faith continues: 'Not until forty days had elapsed, however, did the enrollment of the seventeen remaining Letters of the Living commence. Gradually, spontaneously, some in sleep, others while awake, some through fasting and prayer, others through dreams and visions, they discovered the Object of their quest, and were enlisted under the banner of the new-born Faith.'4
The last thus to enlist, who was destined to rank above them all, was a 22-year-old youth, Mulla Muhammad-'Ali of Barfurush (today named Babul) in the province of Mazindaran. On the very hour of his arrival in Shiraz, he came face to face with the Bab in a thoroughfare, and without any questioning immediately recognized Him by His bearing and His gait as the Qa'im of the House of Muhammad. On him the Bab conferred the title of Quddus, which means 'most holy and pure'.
The circle of the Huruf-i-Hayy[1] - the eighteen Letters of the Living - was now complete. They were all in Shiraz, all but one. That solitary figure was a woman, some thirty years of age, learned, eloquent, a composer of noble verse, the daughter, niece and wife of famed and influential clerics of Qazvin. So assured and certain was she that the Lord of the Age had indeed come, and that whoever laid claim to that exalted station must be believed, that when Mirza Muhammad-'Aliy-i-Qazvini, the husband of her younger sister and a stalwart disciple of Siyyid Kazim-i-Rashti, was setting out from Karbila on his quest to find and offer his allegiance to the Qa'im, she gave him a <p30> sealed letter to present to that Lord of the Age, and these words to say to Him:5
[1 Huruf is the plural of Harf: a letter of the alphabet. Hayy, which means Living, is numerically equal to eighteen.]
The effulgence of Thy face flashed forth, and the rays
of Thy visage arose on high;
Then speak the word, 'Am I not your Lord?' and 'Thou art,
Thou art!' we will all reply.
Her name was Umm-Salamih. Siyyid Kazim had called her Qurratu'l-'Ayn - the Solace of the Eyes. Baha'i history knows her best as Tahirih - the Pure - a designation bestowed on her by Baha'u'llah. Although she never attained the presence of the Bab, yet she arose with burning zeal, all ardour and steadfastness and with determination, to declare and promote His Faith, giving up kith and kin and finally life itself in His path.
Now, the Bab summoned His Letters of the Living to His presence and addressed them:
'O My beloved friends! You are the bearers of the name of God in this Day. You have been chosen as the repositories of His mystery. It behoves each one of you to manifest the attributes of God, and to exemplify by your deeds and words the signs of His righteousness, His power and glory. The very members of your body must bear witness to the loftiness of your purpose, the integrity of your life, the reality of your faith and the exalted character of your devotion. . . . Ponder the words of Jesus addressed to His disciples, as He sent them forth to propagate the Cause of God. In words such as these, He bade them arise and fulfil their mission: "Ye are even as the fire which in the darkness of the night has been kindled upon the mountain-top. Let your light shine before the eyes of men. Such must be the purity of your character and the degree of your renunciation, that the people of the earth may through you recognize and be drawn closer to the heavenly Father who is the Source of purity and grace. . . . You are the salt of the earth, but if the salt have lost its savour, wherewith shall it be salted? . . ." O My Letters! Verily I say, immensely exalted is this Day above the days of the Apostles of old. Nay, immeasurable is the difference! You are the witnesses of the Dawn of the promised Day of God. . . . You are the first Letters that have been generated from the Primal Point [the Bab] . . . I am preparing you for the advent of a mighty Day. . . . The secret of the Day that is to come is now concealed <p31> It can neither be divulged nor estimated. The newly born babe of that Day excels the wisest and most venerable men of this time . . . Scatter throughout the length and breadth of this land, and, with steadfast feet and sanctified hearts prepare the way for His coming. Heed not your weaknesses and frailty; fix your gaze upon the invincible power of the Lord, your God, the Almighty. Has he not, in past days, caused Abraham, in spite of His seeming helplessness, to triumph over the forces of Nimrod? Has He not enabled Moses, whose staff was His only companion, to vanquish Pharaoh and his hosts? Has He not established the ascendancy of Jesus, poor and lowly as He was in the eyes of men, over the combined forces of the Jewish people? Has He not subjected the barbarous and militant tribes of Arabia to the holy and transforming discipline of Muhammad, His Prophet? Arise in His name, put your trust wholly in Him, and be assured of ultimate victory.'6
The Bab specifically directed Mulla 'Aliy-i-Bastami to 'Iraq - the
stronghold of the Shi'ih clerics.[1]  He chose Quddus to accompany Him
on pilgrimage to Mecca and Medina, and He gave the Babu'l-Bab a
mission, holy and exalted and of immeasurable significance, to accomplish
in the capital city of Iran.
[1 Mulla 'Ali was before long caught up in a furore of agitation and oppression, was apprehended, put on trial and condemned to death. It has always been assumed that he was put to death somewhere in 'Iraq (either in Mosul or beyond), while being taken to Istanbul, because nothing more was ever heard of him after he reached Mosul. But recent research in official archives has established the fact that he arrived in the Ottoman capital, was once again put on trial and was condemned to hard labour in the dockyards. Then all trace of him is again lost. (For this information the author is much indebted to Mr Sami Doktoroglu.)]  <p32>
1999 - Child of the Covenant (Adib Taherzadeh)
Family and Ancestry
Baha'u'llah belonged to a noble family of Tihran. His father, Mirza 'Abbas-i-Nuri, known as Mirza Buzurg, held a very important ministerial position in the court of the Shah and was highly regarded by the <p19> dignitaries of the realm. Circumstances of family life in Islamic countries were totally different from those of present-day Western society. The law of Islam concerning polygamy prevailed, allowing men to have a maximum of four wives at the same time. Mirza Buzurg married four wives and had three concubines and 15 children -- five daughters and ten sons. Baha'u'llah was born on 12 November 1817 in Tihran. His mother, Kadijih Khanum, the second wife of Mirza Buzurg, had a son and two daughters from a previous marriage. As a result, Baha'u'llah had ten brothers and seven sisters. Some of them became steadfast believers, some followed Mirza Yahya and others remained indifferent or died before Baha'u'llah's declaration in the Garden of Ridvan.
Educatiion
Baha'u'llah received an elementary education during His childhood in Tihran. The nobility of those days usually employed the services of a teacher at home to tutor their children. The main subjects were calligraphy, the study of the Qur'an and the works of the Persian poets. This type of schooling ended after only a few years when the child was in his early teens. Baha'u'llah's education did not go further than this. He Himself testifies in His Tablet to Nasiri'd-Din Shah that He did not attend any school in His life:
Divine Call
O King! I was but a man like others, asleep upon My couch, when lo, the breezes of the All-Glorious were wafted over Me, and taught Me the knowledge of all that hath been. This thing is not from Me, but from One Who is Almighty and All-Knowing. And He bade Me lift up My voice between earth and heaven, and for this there befell Me what hath caused the tears of every man of understanding to flow. The learning current amongst men I studied not; their schools I entered not. Ask of the city wherein I dwelt, that thou mayest be well assured that I am not of them who speak falsely. This is but a leaf which the winds of the will of thy Lord, the Almighty, the All-Praised, have stirred. Can it be still when the tempestuous winds are blowing? Nay, by Him Who is the Lord of all Names and Attributes! They move it as they list.[32]
[32 Baha'u'llah, quoted in Shoghi Effendi, Promised Day is Come, pp. 40-l.]
Bahá'u'lláh's Marriages, Female Restrictions
It is necessary for the purpose of studying the Covenant to become informed of Baha'u'llah's marriages and His children. Baha'u'llah had married three wives before the declaration of His mission in 1863. As has already been stated, the Manifestation of God conducts His personal life according to the customs of the time. Polygamy was a normal practice in those days; indeed, it would have been abnormal for a man who belonged to the nobility to be monogamous in that society.
In order to appreciate this subject, it is essential to become familiar with some aspects of the Islamic world of the 19th century. Among <p20> the Muslim communities of the Middle East, women lived entirely under the domination of men and were not allowed to take part in public affairs. Girls grew up in the home of their parents, lived most of their time indoors and had no contact with the public. When they were given in marriage to their husbands (an event over which they had no control), they moved into a different house and spent most of their time in complete seclusion until they died. No man, except a very close relative, was ever allowed to see the face of a woman. She had to wear a chadur[*] and veil her face. It was considered a sin for a woman to show her face to any man. When a male guest arrived at a home, all the women had to retire into the inner apartment, their sanctuary where no strange man would ever be admitted.
[* A large piece of cloth which covers the entire body from top to toe and is wrapped around one's clothes.]
Another restriction was that women, especially unmarried girls, were not to talk to men. Neither would they be permitted to go out for shopping or other services; these were the exclusive preserve of men. Such acts would have necessitated women taking part in public affairs and coming into contact with men. So strong was this restriction that if ever a woman was seen talking to a strange man she would receive very severe punishment from her parents or husband. The stigma attached to this behaviour was so repugnant that sometimes the poor victim would commit suicide. Some Muslim clergy in Persia are known to have inflicted torturous chastisements upon a man who was accused of talking to a woman. Usually a much more severe punishment awaited a non-Muslim man if he was found speaking to a Muslim woman.
Women in those days had no status in the community. They were treated like objects. Some members of the clergy went so far as to claim that women had no souls, much as Christian theologians had done seven hundred years earlier. Within such a society a woman's life was spent almost entirely within the four walls of a house; caring for her family and the menfolk who lived there. It was very rare for a young girl to receive any education. The great majority of women were illiterate and were therefore left out of the mainstream of human progress and civilization. Even the few who received some education were circumscribed in their activities. Parents were responsible for providing a son with his livelihood, his home and all his needs -- including a wife, who would be given to him as a matter of routine. Parents arranged their children's marriages and usually the parties most concerned had no say in the matter.
In the Western world today, a couple meet and get to know one another, fall in love and get married. But in the time of Baha'u'llah <p21> this was not the case in the East and often not in the West either. 'Love' took second place to family duty, appropriate social ties and questions of inheritance.
It was customary to betroth a boy and a girl soon after they were born and when the boy reached his late teens he had to marry; the couple had no choice. There was no question of the partners loving each other before their marriage; the boy was not even allowed to see the face of his bride until after the wedding. If the two parties were not betrothed so young, the parents would usually seek a bride for their son once he was in his teens. This was done by a female member of the family, his mother or a sister. Once the choice was made, the marriage could take place. All the young man saw of his future wife was a figure wrapped in a chadur and heavily veiled. If he was fortunate, his female relatives had perhaps described to him what his bride really looked like.
Although couples were not in a position to choose their partners in marriage and had no possibility of knowing and loving each other, not all marriages were devoid of love and unity. It is not difficult to visualize the case of a couple, unacquainted with each other initially, who develop a bond of friendship, love and harmony after marriage. Yet within such an environment, the dominant position of the husband was noticeably upheld as he exercised unquestioned authority over his wife.
In these circumstances all the responsibility of running the home -- which entailed hard labour in those days -- was left to the wife, who would be lucky if there were other female members of the family to help her in her duties. It was considered improper to employ a maid to assist in the work, since only a woman who was a close relative could be admitted into the household. However, since polygamy was commonly practised, a man could usually marry up to four wives and they were expected to assist each other in managing the family home. This often became a necessity where the husband was wealthy and influential and had to maintain a large household and conduct a lifestyle befitting his station in society. It was usually the first wife who would seek out, or give her consent for, the second wife.
It is clear that marriage customs in Persia during the 19th century are not comparable to those now current in most parts of the world. The mere mention of polygamy today will raise in people's minds associations of sex, lust and corruption. But this was not true in the case of people who contracted marriages according to Islamic law over a hundred years ago. Men practised polygamy not necessarily from lust but because they were conducting their lives within a society that had established certain customs and conventions to which all had to conform. Thus a young man happily submitted his will to that of his  <p22> parents and carried out their wish in marrying someone of their choosing; thereafter he contracted further marriages as a routine matter.
First Wife, Asiyih Khanum
Baha'u'llah married Asiyih Khanum in Tihran in 1251 AH (1835) when He was over 18 years of age. Asiyih Khanum, later surnamed Navvab by Baha'u'llah, was a daughter of a nobleman, Mirza Isma'il-i-Vazir. Her date of birth is not known. She was a most noble and faithful follower of Baha'u'llah who served her Lord until the end of her life in 1886. There were seven children of the marriage, four of whom died in childhood. The other three were 'Abbas, entitled the 'Most Great Branch', 'Abdu'l-Baha; Fatimih, entitled Bahiyyih Khanum, the Greatest Holy Leaf; and Mihdi, entitled 'the Purest Branch'.
Second Wife, Fatimih Khanum
The second wife of Baha'u'llah, whom He married in Tihran in 1849, was Fatimih Khanum, usually referred to as Mahd-i-'Ulya. She was a cousin of Baha'u'llah and gave birth to six children, of whom four survived. They were one daughter, Samadiyyih, and three sons, Muhammad-'Ali, Diya'u'llah and Badi'u'llah. These four, along with their mother, violated the Covenant of Baha'u'llah. Mahd-i-'Ulya died in 1904.
Third Wife, Gawhar Khanum
The third wife, Gawhar Khanum, was not known by any other title. The dates of her birth, marriage and death are not known. Her marriage took place some time in Baghdad before the declaration of Baha'u'llah's mission. While Navvab and Mahd-i-'Ulya travelled with Him in all His exiles, Gawhar Khanum remained in Baghdad with her brother, Mirza Mihdiy-i-Kashani.[33] For some years she was among the Baha'i refugees in Mosul[34] and later went to 'Akka at Baha'u'llah's instruction. She gave birth to one daughter, Furughiyyih; mother and daughter both became Covenant-breakers after the passing of Baha'u'llah.
[33 See 'Abdu'l-Baha, Memorials of the Faithful, p. 95.]
[34 See Taherzadeh, Revelation of Baha'u'llah, vol. 2.]
Lack of Info on Bahá'u'lláh's Wives
It is appropriate at this juncture to clarify a point that has puzzled many, namely the lack of detailed information about the wives of Baha'u'llah. Here, again, one has to consider the social circumstances of the time. As already stated, women in those days took no part in public affairs; their entire lives were spent at home in private life. To enquire into the life of a woman was considered unethical, even insulting. It was discourteous even to ask the name of someone's wife. She would usually be referred to as 'the person in the house' or, if she had a son, as the 'mother of so and so'. Within such a society historians (always male) usually could not invade the privacy of women by delving into their lives. To do so would highly offend the men of the household.
Bahá'u'lláh Allowed Family Contact
Although one would not find such practices in the household of Baha'u'llah and those believers who were close to Him did come into <p23> contact with the female members of His family, nevertheless, owing to the customs of the time and the privacy to which women in general were entitled, very little has been recorded about their lives by oriental historians of the Faith.
Navvab, Most Exalted Leaf
Navvab, honoured by Baha'u'llah with the designation 'the Most Exalted Leaf', was the embodiment of true nobility. She was utterly detached from the things of the world and was faithful to the Cause of God. Her deep attachment to the Cause of Baha'u'llah was one of her great distinguishing features. She had a compassionate and loving nature, was patient, humble and utterly resigned to the will of Baha'u'llah. Navvab suffered a great deal at the hands of those in the family who later broke the Covenant. Her faith in Baha'u'llah, whom she knew as the Supreme Manifestation of God, was resolute and unshakable. She served her Lord with exemplary devotion and complete self-effacement. Her daughter, the Greatest Holy Leaf, has described her in these words:
I wish you could have seen her as I first remember her, tall, slender, graceful, eyes of a dark blue -- a pearl, a flower amongst women.
I have been told that even when very young, her wisdom and intelligence went remarkable. I always think of her in those earliest days of my memory as queenly in her dignity and loveliness, full of consideration for everybody, gentle, of a marvellous unselfishness, no action of hers ever failed to show the loving-kindness of her pure heart; her very presence seemed to make an atmosphere of love and happiness whenever she came, enfolding all comers in the fragrance of gentle courtesy.[35]
[35 Blomfield, Chosen Highway, pp. 39-40.]
In one of His Tablets Baha'u'llah bestows upon Navvab the unique distinction of being His perpetual consort in all the worlds of God. 'Abdu'l-Baha in a Tablet states that the 54th chapter of Isaiah refers to Navvab, the Most Exalted Leaf, whose 'seed shall inherit the Gentiles' and whose husband is the 'Lord of Hosts'. 'Abdu'l-Baha also refers to the verse, 'for more [are] the children of the desolate than the children of the married wife' and states that this refers to Navvab.
Abdu'l-Bahá
The three members of the family of Navvab occupy the highest rank in the Faith. 'Abdu'l-Baha is, of course, the Centre of the Covenant of Baha'u'llah, the Perfect Exemplar and the embodiment of all divine virtues.
Greatest Holy Leaf
His sister, the Greatest Holy Leaf, is regarded as the noblest woman of this Dispensation and its outstanding heroine. Her life was laden with unbearable sufferings in the path of Baha'u'llah and dedicated to the service of His Cause.
Purest Branch
The third child of Navvab was her noble and long-suffering son, the Purest Branch. He was the one who, in the prime of youth, offered. <p24> up his life in the path of his Lord when he fell through a skylight in the prison of 'Akka onto the floor below. In a prayer revealed after the martyrdom of the Purest Branch, Baha'u'llah makes the following statement, which Shoghi Effendi describes as astounding:
I have, O my Lord, offered up that which Thou hast given Me, that Thy servants may be quickened, and all that dwell on earth be united.[36]
[36 Shoghi Effendi, God Passes By, p. 188.]
Covenant Breaker (Meaning)
It has already been stated that all the children of Mahd-i-'Ulya and Gawhar Khanum became Covenant-breakers. It is appropriate here to define the term Covenant-breaker. A believer who recognizes Baha'u'llah as the Manifestation of God for this age will wholeheartedly obey His teachings and commandments. One of these commandments is to turn to 'Abdu'l-Baha as the Centre of the Covenant, to be submissive to Him and abide by His bidding. The same is true in relation to Shoghi Effendi and the Universal House of Justice. A true believer, therefore, is one who believes in Baha'u'llah and follows those upon whom He has placed the mantle of authority. A Covenant-breaker is one who, while professing to believe in Baha'u'llah, arises in active opposition to Him or to the Centre of the Covenant, 'Abdu'l-Baha, or to Shoghi Effendi or today to the Universal House of Justice.
Baha'u'lláh, a Brief Life: Followed by an Essay on The Manifestation of God
"...ministerial circle of the Shah's court. All accounts of Bahá'u'lláh's childhood indicate that from His earliest years He possessed remarkable and very unusual powers. At the age of seven, He appeared before the Shah, to argue a case on behalf of His father, and proved His suit. His character endeared Him not only to His kinsmen and immediate entourage, but to strangers as well. The minister was fully conscious of the extraordinary powers of his Son, although the destiny of the Child could not ..." (Google Books, p9)
Ma'idih-yi Asmani (Banu Qurayza Paragraph)
Nader Saiedi - Logos and Civilization
Src : Logos and Civilization, p 304.
When this Wronged One was a child, He read in a book attributed to Mullá Báqir Majlisí ...  about the incident of the Banú-Qurayz.ah, whereupon He became so grieved and saddened that the Pen is unable to recount it, even though what occurred was the command of God and its sole purpose was to break the backs of the oppressors.
But upon beholding the ocean of forgiveness and boundless mercy, He [Bahá’u’lláh] used to beseech the One True God, exalted be His glory, in those days to bring about whatsoever would be the cause of love, fellowship, and unity among all the peoples of the earth — until, suddenly, before sunrise (qabl az ṭulú‘) on the second day of the month of His birth, His entire condition and manner of expression and thinking were transformed in a transformation (inquiláb) which proclaimed the joyful tidings of heavenly reunion. This experience occurred repeatedly for twelve consecutive days, after which the waves of the sea of utterance became manifest and the effulgences of the orb of assurance shone forth until it culminated in advance of His Revelation (ẓuhúr).
Taherzadeh, Revelation of Bahá'u'lláh
Src : Revelation of Bahá'u'lláh, Vol 2, p. 347 - available in Ocean
Bahá'u'lláh states (8) that once during His childhood, He read [2] the story of the bloodshed which resulted from the massacre of the tribe of Qurayzah, [3] as narrated by Mulla Muhammad Baqir-i-Majlisi.[4] He relates how He was overtaken by feelings of intense sadness and grief as a result of reading this episode. At that time He beheld the limitless ocean of God's forgiveness and mercy surging before Him. Then he beseeched God to vouchsafe unto all the peoples of the world that which would establish unity and love among them. He then describes how suddenly on a certain day before dawn, He was overcome by a condition which completely affected His manners, His thoughts and His words. It was a transfiguration which gave Him the tidings of ascendancy and exaltation, and which continued for twelve days. After this He testifies that the ocean of His utterance began to surge,[5] and the Sun of Assurance shone forth and He continued in this state until He manifested Himself to man. He further testifies in the same Tablet that in this Dispensation, He has, on the one hand, removed from religion anything which could become the cause of suffering and disunity and, on the other, ordained  those teachings which would bring about the unity of the human race.
Juan Cole - Passage
Src : Ma'idih-yi Asmani, 7:136, trans. Juan R.I. Cole
In my childhood, this wronged one read in a book by Mulla Baqir Majlisi about the raid on the Banu Qurayzah. From that moment I was distressed and full of sorrow, to the extent that my pen cannot express it - -even though what happened was the decree of God, and its intent was only to foil oppressors.
But when the ocean of forgiveness and grace appeared, therefore in those days I beseeched God for that which was the cause of love, fellowship and unity among all who are on earth - -until, on the second of the month of the Birth [mawlu:d] before the Dawning [tulu:`], all my mental states, my words and thoughts, were turned upside down, an inversion that bore the glad-tidings of the Ascent [`uru:j]. This revolution was manifest for twelve days continuously and unremittingly. Afterwards, the waves of the ocean of utterance appeared, and the effulgences of the luminary of tranquillity were radiant. Then the matter eventuated in a time of full revelation (zuhu:r), when I attained to that which God rendered the basis of the joy of the worlds and the dawn of bestowal on all who dwell in the heavens and the earth. After the Most High Pen [Qalam-i A`la=the Bab], We abrogated all that which was the cause of hardship and discomfort and strife by Our decisive decree, and We revealed and implemented all that which was a source of concord and unity. No one denies the grace inherent in this revelation save those who are veiled and heedless, and the despised tyrants.
Age balagh = 12 ?   TK 15 2006-11-15 20:08
Juan Cole - Encyclopedia Article
Url : www.bahai-library.com/encyclopedia/bahabio.html
Baha'u'llah in his youth showed himself a sensitive and spiritual young man. He was deeply affected, for instance, when he read about the execution of a group of traitorous and rebellious tribesmen (the Banu Qurayza) by early Muslims. [Cole]
Denis MacEoin
Src : Passage in Ishraq Khavari Ma'ida, vol. 7, p. 136; cf. Baha' Allah Ishraqat, p.34:
Url : www.bahai-library.com/articles/babism.maceoin.html
Husayn 'Ali appears to have been ill at ease with the militant side of Islam from an early age. He himself writes that, as a child, he read an account by Mulla Muhammad Baqir Majlisi (d.1111/1700) of the execution of the Jews of Banu Qurayza on the instructions of the prophet Muhammad;[25] the effect of this was to plunge him into a state of acute depression for some time, despite his recognition that 'what occurred had been the decree of God'.[26] How far this attitude influenced the nature and extent of his involvement with Babism during its militant phase, it is a little difficult to tell.
Symbol and Secret
Url : www.bahai-library.com/books/symbol.secret/intro.html
At another point in his early life, Bahá'u'lláh read Mullá Muhammad Báqir Majlisí's (d. 1700 C.E.) traditional account of the massacre of all males of the Jewish tribe of Banú Qurayza by order of the Prophet Muhammad (cf. Qur'an 33:26) on grounds of treason. MacEoin's account of the impact this had on the child's psyche is based on Bahá'u'lláh's own description of this psychological turning point. MacEoin writes that "the effect of this was to plunge him [Bahá'u'lláh] into a state of acute depression for some time, despite his recognition that 'what occurred had been the decree of God.'"17 A sense of horror and remorse moved the child to cry to God to change the world, that the tragedy never be reenacted.
Apparently, this youthful wish later matured into a sense of resolve. From his reminiscence, it is clear that Bahá'u'lláh traces his predisposition toward social and moral Apparently, this youthful wish later matured into a sense of resolve. From his reminiscence, it is clear that Bahá'u'lláh traces his predisposition toward social and moral reform to a precocious sensitivity. Taherzadeh paraphrases Bahá'u'lláh's account:
He [Bahá'u'lláh] then describes how suddenly on a certain day before dawn, He was overcome by a condition which completely affected His manners, His thoughts and His words. It was a transfiguration which gave Him the tidings of ascendancy and exaltation, and which continued for twelve days. After this He testifies that the ocean of His utterance began to surge, and the Sun of Assurance shone forth and He continued in this state until He manifested Himself to man. He further testifies in the same Tablet that in this Dispensation, He has, on the one hand, removed from religion anything which could become the cause of suffering and disunity and, on the other, ordained those teachings which would bring about the unity of the human race.18 
Maiden
Erotic Imagery In the Allegorical Writings of Bahá'u'lláh, Walbridge
On 1 March 1873, the Birthday of the Bab according to the lunar calendar, Baha'u'llah had a vision. As He was sitting, a luminous maiden dressed in white came in to Him and removed her veil. She was of surpassing beauty; "We beheld the black hairs upon her white neck, as though night and day embraced in this most glorious spot." She walked about, lost in wonderment in the presence of Baha'u'llah. She called to Him, "May my soul be a ransom for Thine imprisonment, O mystery of the unseen in the kingdom of the world." Reaching behind Baha'u'llah's neck she drew Him near. Then she leaned her head against the fingers of one hand "as though the crescent moon were united with the full moon." Then she said to Him, "May all being be a sacrifice for Thine affliction, O King of the earth and heaven! Why hast Thou placed Thyself amongst such as these in the city of `Akka? Repair to Thine other dominions, places whereon the eyes of the people of names have never fallen."
1907 - Ten Days in the Light of Akka
When the Blessed Perfection was six years of age, He had a vision. He saw Himself fall into the sea. In the water His long hair became shining like the sun and spread out around Him like a golden net. All the fishes, large and small, came swimming toward Him, holding to the strands of His hair. The fishes came closer and closer, following Him as He swam through the waters, which were shining like the sun. The fishes were countless in number. When He awoke, He told His vision to His father who was an important man of Persia. His father consulted a wise man named ;Abdu;l-Karím who interpreted visions for the kings. ;Abdu;l-Karím said, 'Your son will be a great man. The water is Knowledge, and the fishes swimming about Him are the people of all nations who will come to be taught by His Wisdom. He will be forced away and separated from earthly things and will reflect the Light of the Word of God.'
Letter to Aunt Age 5 (Bahá'u'lláh)
Kazem in Tarikh 2004-09-26 04:41 (Post 2902):
Held in Private Sources: alternative translation to next item
In Unfoldment of Divine Civilisation Site
( Letter addressed by Baha'u'llah, aged 5, to his Aunt, written in extremely literate Persian: )
He is the Well-Beloved! God willing you are abiding restfully beneath the canopy of Divine mercy and the tabernacle of His bounty. Although to outward seeming, I am little and cannot write, but because this illiterate One is clung to the Divine Lote tree, He can read without knowledge and can write without schooling. And this fact is clear and evident in the spiritual realm to those endued with insight. Others have not been and are not aware of this mystery.
Lawh-i-Rais (Summons of the Lord of Hosts)
Authorised Translation
When I was still a child and had not yet attained the age of maturity, My father made arrangments in Tihran for the marriage of one of My older brothers, and as is customary in that city, the festivities lasted for seven days and seven nights. On the last day it was announced that the play "Shah Sultan Salim" would be presented. A large number of princes, dignitaries, and notables of the capital gathered for the occasion. I was sitting in one of the upper rooms of the building  and observing the scene. Presently a tent was pitched in the courtyard, and before long some small human-like figures, each appearing to be no more than about a hand's span in height, were seen to emerge from it and raise the call: "His Majesty is coming! Arrange the seats at once!" Other figures then came forth, some of whom were seen to be engaged in sweeping, others in sprinkling water, and thereafter another, who was announced as the chief town crier, raised his call and bade the people assemble for an audience with the king. Next, several groups of figures made their appearance and took their places, the first attired in hats and sashes after the Persian fashion, the second wielding battleaxes, and the third comprising a number of footmen and executioners carrying bastinados. Finally there appeared, arrayed in regal majesty and crowned with a royal diadem, a kingly figure, bearing himself with the utmost haughtiness and grandeur, at turns advancing and pausing in his progress, who proceeded with great solemnity, poise and dignity to seat himself upon his throne.

At that moment a volley of shots was fired, a fanfare of trumpets was sounded, and king and tent were enveloped in a pall of smoke. When it had cleared, the king, ensconced upon his throne, was seen surrounded by a suite of ministers, princes, and dignitaries of state who, having taken their places, were standing at attention in his presence. A captured thief was then brought before the king, who gave the order that the offender should be beheaded. Without a moment's delay the chief executioner cut off the thief's head, whence a blood-like liquid came forth. After this the king held audience with his court, during which intelligence was received that a rebellion had broken out on a certain frontier. Thereupon the king reviewed his troops and despatched several regiments supported by artillery to quell the uprising. A few moments later cannons were heard booming from behind the tent, and it was announced that a battle had been engaged.

This Youth regarded the scene with great amazement. When the royal audience was ended, the curtain was drawn, and, after some twenty minutes, a man emerged from behind the tent carrying a box under his arm.
"What is this box," I asked him, "and what was the nature of this display?"
"All this lavish display and these elaborate devices," he replied, "the king, the princes, and the ministers, their pomp and glory, their might and power, everything you saw, are now contained within this box."
I swear by My Lord Who, through a single word of His Mouth, hath brought into being all created things! Ever since that day, all the trappings of the world have seemed in the eyes of this Youth akin to that same spectacle. They have never been, nor will they ever be, of any weight and consequence, be it to the extent of a grain of mustard seed. How greatly I marvelled that men should pride themselves upon such vanities, whilst those possessed of insight, ere they witness any evidence of human glory, perceive with certainty the 168 inevitability of its waning. "Never have I looked upon any thing save that I have seen extinction before it; and God, verily, is a sufficient witness!" 
Translation in SOW:
"When I was a child and had not yet reached the age of maturity one of my brothers intended to marry in Teheran and according to the custom of that country for seven days and nights they were engaged in feasting and banqueting.  The program for the last day of the entertainment for the guests was the play of Sultan Salim. The ministers, the grandees and officials of the city were there in a great throng, and I was sitting in one of the galleries of the building, observing the scenes. They raised a great tent in the middle of the court. Representations of human forms only a few inches in height would come out of the tent and cry: "The king is coming, arrange the seats in order." Then other figures came out, sweeping the ground while a number were sprinkling the streets with water.   Then another figure was presented who was supposed to be the herald bidding the people be ready for review before His Majesty, the Sultan. 

"Then the ministers came, with hat and shawl, according to the Persian custom.  Others were present with clubs while a number of others were garbed as chamberlains, aides de camp, ferrashes and executioners with instruments of punishment.  All these lined up according to their station and class. At last the king appeared with sovereign power and  shining diadem upon his head and with splendor and glory walked slowly and majestically, and with perfect calmness, tranquility and composure seated himself upon the throne. At that moment the noise of the guns and the music of the national anthem was raised and the smoke surrounded the tent and king.  When the air was cleared it was seen that the king was on his throne and the ministers, the magistrates and secretaries had taken their places according to their rank. Immediately a thief, captured by the police, was brought before the king and a royal order was issued to behead him. Then the chief of the executioners took the captive and decapitated him and a red fluid which was like blood was seen by all the spectators. While the Sultan was consulting with some of his ministers the news was brought in that a certain person had become a rebel. The Sultan issued orders that several regiments of soldiers and artillerymen be sent to the scene to quell the disturbance. After a few minutes the thunderous noise of guns and artillery was heard behind the tent and we were told they were engaged in battle. I became astonished and bewildered at these affairs. Then the review ended and the curtain descended. 

"After twenty minutes a man came out from behind the tent with a box under his arm. I asked him, "What is this box? Where are the king and all the men?" He answered that all these great things and manifest objects, such as kings, princes and ministers, glory, majesty, power and sovereignty which we beheld were enclosed in this box. 

"I declare by the Lord who has created all things through his Word that from that day all the conditions of this world and its greatness have been like that play before my eyes. It has not nor will ever have the weight of a mustard seed. I wondered greatly that the people should glorify themselves in these affairs. Not withstanding this, the people of insight will discern with the eye of certainty the end of the glory of every great one before beholding it."  

(Baha'o'llah in a letter to the Sultan of Turkey; in SW, Vol. 8:12, pp. 158-159)
House in Tihiran, Rob Stauffer
The following history was received during my visitation to the House of Baha'u'llah in Tihran, at noon July 9, 1978, from a member of the East-West Pilgrimage Committee of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of Iran. Since the Iranian revolution, so far as I know, the House remains standing, but was confiscated from the Baha'is and is now a home for one of the Shi'a clerics.

    - Rob Stauffer

***************

History of the House of Baha'u'llah in Tihran, Iran

The House of Baha'u'llah in Tihran, being the birth-place of the Blessed Beauty as well as His residence in His childhood, is one of the holiest historical Baha'i Shrines of Iran.

The land for this House was purchased in 1800 by Baha'u'llah's father, Mirza Buzurg-i-Nuri. The construction of the House was completed in 1802. The House was called "Saray-i-Naw Sakht" or "The Newly built House". It was later known as "Hayat-i-Bagh". This was the first house built by Baha'u'llah's father in Tihran. The adjacent buildings were later added to this main House. This House is located in Udlajan district of Tihran and in days gone by, along with six other houses, comprised the houses of Mirza Buzurg-i-Nuri. After the murder of the Chief Minister Qa'im Maqam-Farahani, Mirza Aqasi succeeded him. Haji Mirza Aqasi did not spare any effort to eliminate his potential rivals from the political scene. One of them being Baha'u'llah's father who was on intimate terms with the late Chief Minister. Mirza Aqasi first dismissed Mirza Buzurg from the post of Governor of Borujerd and Bakhtiari and later through various schemes attempted to harm him. His next move was to persuade and force Zia'u'l Saltanih, the daughter of Fath-i- Ali Shah , one of the wives of Mirza Buzurg, to divorce him. In payment of the large dowery of this lady Mirza Buzurg was forced to vacate and sell this House as well as all the adjacent houses.

Mirza Buzurg sought another residence and the Blessed Beauty took independently another House in Shimiran Gate, the present Paminar district of Tihran. In the Epistle to the Son of the Wolf He writes:

"..In the early days, we all lived in one house which was sold in auction for a negligible sum, and the two brothers, Farman-Farma and Hissamu-Saltanih, purchased it and divided it between themselves. After this occurred, We separated from our brother (Mirza Rida Quli). He established his residence close to the entrance of Masjidi-Shah, whilst We lived near [the]Gate of Shimiran."

The houses of Mirza Buzurg, as already mentioned, were purchased in auction by the two brothers, sons of Abbas Mirza, the Crown Prince of Fath-i-Ali Shah, and later on these houses changed hands.

In 92 B.E. (1936) the Beloved Guardian instructed the N.S.A. of Iran to set up a committee for the Holy Places in Iran. The first step taken by this committee was to find and purchase the House of Baha'u'llah in Tihran. After years of search and study of the relevant documents and deeds, and having established the authenticity of the House, it was purchased on the 25th of June 1942.

After about a year or two the small garden and yard adjacent to the House, which was one of the six annexed buildings, was also acquired.

In the course of 108 years of the life of this House naturally some alterations were introduced. At the instruction of the Beloved Guardian the committee undertook the restoration and repair work in order to bring it back to the original form. Lately this work of restoration and repair has continued with the collaboration of the Omana Company.
Works
H. M. Balyuzi, Bahá'u'lláh, The King of Glory, which MacEoin discounts as "emphatically hagiographical" ("From Babism to Baha'ism," p. 244). The only other full-length biography of Bahá'u'lláh is in Persian: M. A. Faydí, Hayát-i Hadrat-i Bahá'u'lláh. See also A. Bausani, q.v. "Bahá'Alláh," in Encyclopedia of Islam (2nd Edition).
14. Certain of these supplemental primary sources are cited by Amanat: "M. A. Malik Khusraví's Iqlím-i Núr (Tehran, 118 Badí/1962) contains new material on Bahá'u'lláh's family background and early life. Beside Bábí-Bahá'í primary accounts, including Nabíl, which covers Bahá'u'lláh's life in some detail, three other accounts are of special importance: Sayyid Mahdí Dahají, Browne Or. MSS no. F.57(9); Mírzá Jawád Qazvíní, Browne Or. MSS. no. F.26, trans. E. G. Browne in MSBR 3-112; and 'Izzíya Khánum, Tanbíh al-Náimín, Browne Or. MSS no. F.60(8) and F.61(9)." (Amanat, Resurrection and Renewal: The Making of the Bábí Movement in Iran, 1844-1850, p. 361, n. 156.)
      As to the last source cited, MacEoin is a little more circumspect as to the authenticity of the texts ascribed to Bahá'u'lláh in stating: "If these are authentic..." (Studia Iranica, Vol. 18 [1989] p. 115). Descriptions of Browne Or. MSS. F.57(9), F.26,
F.60(8) and F.61(9) are given in Browne, A Descriptive Catalogue, pp. 78, 65, and 79, respectively.
15. The principle duty of this office was the collection of taxes. Cf. Balyuzi, Bahá'u'lláh, p. 16, note.
      On Mírzá Buzurg's calligraphy and administrative career, see P. Soucek, s.v. "'Abbas," Encyclopedia of Islam (2nd Edition). See also H. M. Balyuzi, Eminent Bahá'ís, Appendix, "The Village of Quch-Hisár," pp. 339-45. His marriage to a daughter of Fath 'Ali Sháh, and his forced divorce from her later, sealed his sudden ruination (Amanat, Resurrection and Renewal, p. 362).
16. "From that day all the [material] instruments of this world in the eye of this slave [himself] resembled that performance, and had no significance whatsoever [for me], even as much as a grain of mustard. The people of insight can see with the eye of certainty beyond the pomp of possessors of material power its decline. Like those puppets, soon the superficial instruments [of power], the apparent treasures, the worldly ornaments, the military ranks, the luxurious clothes, and their arrogant possessors will proceed toward the grave chest. In the eyes of the people of insight, all those conflicts, struggles, and arrogance resemble children's toys." (Translated by Amanat, Resurrection and Renewal, pp. 363-64.)
      For a full translation of the Tablet, see Bahá'í Scriptures, pp. 81-88. Cf. the Persian text of Lawh-i Ra'ís (Bahá'u'lláh's second Tablet to 'Ali Páshá) in Majmúiy-i Alwáh-i Mubáraka, pp. 107-111.
17. MacEoin, "From Babism to Baha'ism," p. 223, citing Bahá'u'lláh, Má'iday-i Ásmání, 9 vols. (hereinafter referred to as Má'ida) vol. 7, p. 136. Cf. Bahá'u'lláh, Alwáh-i Mubárakay-i Hadrat-i Bahá'u'lláh Shámil-i Ishráqát wa Chand Lawh Dígar (hereafter referred to as Ishráqát), 34. See also a Tablet of Bahá'u'lláh addressed to a certain "Mahdi" in Iqtidárát, pp. 116ff.
18. Taherzadeh, The Revelation of Bahá'u'lláh, Vol. II, pp. 348-49, citing Fádil-i Mázandarání, Asrár al-Athár. A glossary of Bahá'í terms, Vol. 2, pp. 17-18. 
Unreferenced
Family
Bahá'u'lláh was born on November 12, 1817, two years before the Báb, Whose revelation set the stage for His own. As with the Báb, there are no elaborate traditions surrounding His birth. He was born Husayn Alíy-i-Núrí in Tehran. His father was Mírzá Abbás Núrí, also known as Mírzá Buzurg, a prominent and wealthy man who had been a minister at the court of Fath-'Alí Sháh and subsequently the governor of Burujird and Luristan. When Fath-'Alí Sháh died in 1834, his son Muhammad Sháh executed a government purge in which Mírzá Buzurg was stripped of his title and his government salary but retained the Núrí family estates.
Education
Bahá'u'lláh's early life reflected his well-to-do circumstances. He received the education typical of a child of the minor nobility: riding, calligraphy, and Arabic (so as to be able to read the Qur'án). Yet unlike many privileged children, He developed no attachment to wealth and ease.
Birds and Fish
Another story recalls a dream that Bahá'u'lláh related to His father. In His dream, He was in a garden while huge birds attacked him on all sides. Yet the birds were unable to harm Him. He then went to sea, where He was attacked by birds and fish, but again wasn't harmed. His father summoned a famous seer to interpret the dream, and was told that His son would become the founder of a great Cause and would be attacked by the leaders and learned men of the world. But they would be unable to harm Him, and He would be victorious over them all.
Bahá'u'lláh (Age 7) Dismisses Tax Collected
Bahá'u'lláh developed a fine sense of justice and fairness at a very young age. Throughout His life He would display these qualities, but perhaps one of the most remarkable demonstrations of this came while He was still a child. He witnessed three confrontations between His father and a tax collector who was "in a cruel and unjust manner" demanding payment. Incensed, Bahá'u'lláh rode to Tehran, a journey of two days, and sought the dismissal of the "tyrannical" tax collector. Incredibly, He was successful in His quest.
Shaykh Muhammad-Taqí
The youthful Bahá'u'lláh's wisdom and spiritual insight were also often remarked. It was said that He could resolve problems nobody else could, and His deep knowledge of the Qur'án and the Hadíth astounded many learned men. The well-known scholar Shaykh Muhammad-Taqí, once asked a gathering of about a thousand students to explain a particular saying from the Hadíth. None were able to reply until Bahá'u'lláh, who had received no formal education, gave an explanation that left the great man silent. The next day he berated his students, who had had twenty-five years of instruction, for failing to explain what Bahá'u'lláh had elucidated so well.
Generosity
His generosity was also noted. Indeed, as a young man He became known as "the Father of the Poor" for His extraordinary generosity and regard for the impoverished. It seemed that the trappings of wealth held little importance for Him, even though He had grown up surrounded by them. The things of the spirit were always His main focus in life.
That life, as it turned out, would be very much like his childhood dream.
As Bábi and Bahá'í
He embraced the Báb's new religion immediately upon reading the Báb's letter to him, relayed by Mullá Husayn. Although He never met the Báb, He became one of His foremost followers and suffered a brief imprisonment and torture as a result. After the Báb's execution in 1850, Bahá'u'lláh Himself was imprisoned on false charges. His property was declared confiscate and His house sacked by a mob. He was released from prison only to be exiled to Baghdád in Iraq. His revelation, born in the prison in Tehran, would be publicly declared ten years later as He was preparing for a second exile to Constantinople. That exile was followed by forced transfers to Adrianople and finally to the distant prison-city of Akká, in the Holy Land near Mt. Carmel. Throughout these 40 years of imprisonment and exile, Bahá'u'lláh would be beset by enemies in the government, the clergy and even within His own family. Several attempts on His life would leave their marks upon Him. Yet through it all, He remained as He had been in His childhood: a person of deep spiritual insight and wisdom, dedicated to justice and integrity, full of goodness and generosity. In short, He was One through whom the light of God illuminated the world.
Call to Remembrance
Childhood
On 12 November 1817 a child named Mírzá Husayn-'Ali was born in Tihran, the capital of Persia. His father was a nobleman and a favored minister of Fath-'Alí Shah; his mother was Khadijih Khanum. His family's ancestral home was in the village of Tákur in the district of Nùr (Light) in the northern province of Màzindaran, which lies along the shore of the Caspian Sea.
Though Mirza Husayn-'Ali received little formal education, He showed signs in childhood of innate knowledge and unusual nobility of character - signs that foreshadowed the divinely ordained role He would later assume as Bahá'u'lláh, the Glory of God. His revelation would shake Persia to its depths, revolutionize the fortunes of the world, and usher in a new and glorious age in human history.

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 Bahá'u'lláh.[3] At the hour of dawn, on the second day <p13> of Muharram, in the year 1233 A.H.[4] the world, unaware of its significance, witnessed the birth of Him who was destined to confer upon it such incalculable blessings. [2 Mirza Abu'l-Fadl asserts in his writings that the genealogy of Bahá'u'lláh can be traced back to the ancient Prophets of Persia as well as to its kings who ruled over the land prior to the Arab invasion.] [3 His name was Mirza Husayn-'Ali.]  [4 November 12, 1817 A.D.]
Dawnbreakers

He derived His descent, on the one hand, from Abraham (the Father of the Faithful) through his wife Katurah, and on the other from Zoroaster, as well as from Yazdigird, the last king of the Sasaniyan dynasty. He was moreover a descendant of Jesse, and belonged, through His father, Mirza Abbas, better known as Mirza Buzurg - a nobleman closely associated with the ministerial circles of the Court of Fath-'Ali Shah - to one of the most ancient and renowned families of Mazindaran.
God Passes By

When Bahá'u'lláh was still a child, the Vazir, His father, dreamed a dream. Bahá'u'lláh appeared to him swimming in a vast, limitless ocean. His body shone upon the waters with a radiance that illumined the sea. Around His head, which could distinctly be seen above the waters, there radiated, in all directions, His long, jet-black locks, floating in great profusion above the waves. As he dreamed, a multitude of fishes gathered round Him, each holding fast to the extremity of one hair. Fascinated by the effulgence of His face, they followed Him in whatever direction He swam. Great as was their number, and however firmly they clung to His locks, not one single hair seemed to have been detached from His head, nor did the least injury affect His person. Free and unrestrained, He moved above the waters and they all followed Him.
The Vazir, greatly impressed by this dream, summoned a soothsayer, who had achieved fame in that region, and asked him to interpret it for him. This man, as if inspired by a premonition of the future glory of Bahá'u'lláh, declared: "The limitless ocean that you have seen in your dream, O <p120> Vazir, is none other than the world of being. Single-handed and alone, your son will achieve supreme ascendancy over it. Wherever He may please, He will proceed unhindered. No one will resist His march, no one will hinder His progress. The multitude of fishes signifies the turmoil which He will arouse amidst the peoples and kindreds of the earth. Around Him will they gather, and to Him will they cling. Assured of the unfailing protection of the Almighty, this tumult will never harm His person, nor will His loneliness upon the sea of life endanger His safety." 
That soothsayer was subsequently taken to see Bahá'u'lláh. He looked intently upon His face, and examined carefully His features. He was charmed by His appearance, and extolled every trait of His countenance. Every expression in that face revealed to his eyes a sign of His concealed glory. So great was his admiration, and so profuse his praise of Bahá'u'lláh, that the Vazir, from that day, became even more passionately devoted to his son. The words spoken by that soothsayer served to fortify his hopes and confidence in Him. Like Jacob, he desired only to ensure the welfare of his beloved Joseph, and to surround Him with his loving protection.
Haji Mirza Aqasi, the Grand Vazir of Muhammad Shah, though completely alienated from Bahá'u'lláh's father, showed his son every mark of consideration and favour. So great was the esteem which the Haji professed for Him, that Mirza Aqa Khan-i-Nuri, the I'timadu'd-Dawlih, who afterwards succeeded Haji Mirza Aqasi, felt envious. He resented the superiority which Bahá'u'lláh, as a mere youth, was accorded over him. The seeds of jealousy were, from that time, implanted in his breast. Though still a youth, and while his father is yet alive, he thought, he is given precedence in the presence of the Grand Vazir. What will, I wonder, happen to me when this young man shall have succeeded his father?
After the death of the Vazir, Haji Mirza Aqasi continued to show the utmost consideration to Bahá'u'lláh. He would visit Him in His home, and would address Him as though He were his own son. The sincerity of his devotion, however, was very soon put to the test. 
Dawnbreakers

Mírzá Husayn 'Alí, Who afterwards assumed the title of Bahá'u'lláh (i.e. Glory of God), was the eldest son of Mírzá Abbás of Núr, a Vazír or Minister of State. His family was wealthy and distinguished, many of its members having occupied important positions in the Government and in the Civil and Military Services of Persia. He was born in Tihrán (Teheran), the capital city of Persia, between dawn and sunrise on the 12th of November, 1817. 1  He never attended school or college, and what little teaching He received was given at home. Nevertheless, even as a child He showed wonderful wisdom and knowledge. While He was still a youth His father died, leaving Him responsible for the care of His younger brothers and sisters, and for the management of the extensive family estates.
On one occasion 'Abdu'l-Bahá, the eldest son of Bahá'u'lláh, related to the writer the following particulars about His Father's early days:—
From childhood He was extremely kind and generous. He was a great lover of outdoor life, most of His time being spent in the garden or the fields. He had an extraordinary power of attraction, which was felt by all. People 24 always crowded around Him. Ministers and people of the Court would surround Him, and the children also were devoted to Him. When He was only thirteen of fourteen years old He became renowned for His learning. He would converse on any subject and solve any problem presented to Him. In large gatherings He would discuss matters with the 'Ulamá (leading mullás) and would explain intricate religious questions. All of them used to listen to Him with the greatest interest.
Bahá'u'lláh and the New Era
Youth
In His youth Bahá'u'lláh's extraordinary abilities were widely recognized, and it was expected that He would succeed His father and rise to a position of prominence. His lack of interest in pursuing a career as a minister of the Shàh was the cause of much surprise and comment.
At seventeen Bahá'u'lláh married Asiyih Khanum, described as remarkably intelligent, winsome, vivacious, and exceedingly beautiful. She was the younger sister of the husband of Bahá'u'lláh's older sister and, like Bahá'u'lláh, came from a noble and wealthy family. Her wedding treasures were so extensive that forty mules were needed to carry them to His home.
In the early years of their married life Bahá'u'lláh and Asiyih Khànum devoted themselves to charitable activities. Their daughter, Bahiyyih Khanum, recounts that they "took part as little as possible in State functions, social ceremonies, and the luxurious habits of ordinary highly-placed and wealthy families in the land of Persia." They "counted these worldly pleasures meaningless, and preferred rather to occupy themselves in caring for the poor, and for all who were unhappy, or in trouble." Their acts of service earned them widespread renown as "The Father of the Poor" and "The Mother of Consolation."
About the time of Bahá'u'lláh's marriage His father Mirza Buzurg, fell upon hard times. A year earlier, Fath-'Ali Shah had died and been succeeded by his grandson, Muhammad Shah. Muhammad Shah's prime minister, Hájí Mírzá Aqasi, was a vain and vengeful man whose later outrages against the Báb caused Shoghi Effendi to denounce him as "the Antichrist of the Babi Revelation." When Haji Mirza Aqasi learned that Mirza Buzurg was horrified at the Haji's role in murdering his predecessor, he retaliated by stripping Mirza Buzurg of his governorships, cutting off his annual allowance, and engineering his divorce from Fath-'Ali Shah's daughter, whom he had married a few years earlier. Thus, in addition to losing his income, Mirza Buzurg faced a costly divorce settlement. When his ex-wife sent thugs who beat him daily in an effort to extract the money, he was forced to sell his complex of homes in Tihran and many valuable furnishings hurriedly and at a very low price. A few years later he passed away. Despite Haji Mirza Aqasi's antagonism toward Mirza Buzurg, he held Bahá'u'lláh in high regard, extended to Him every consideration, and spoke to Him as if He were his own son.

Now from the beginning of the manifestation of the Báb there was in Tihran (which the Báb called the Holy Land) a Youth of the family of one of the ministers and of noble lineage, gifted in every way, and adorned with purity and nobility. Although He combined lofty lineage with high connection, and although His ancestors were men of note in Persia and universally sought after, yet He was not of a race of doctors or a family of scholars. Now this Youth was from His earliest adolescence celebrated amongst those of the ministerial class, both relatives and strangers, for single-mindedness, and was from childhood pointed out as remarkable for sagacity, and held in regard in the eyes of the wise. He did not, however, after the fashion of His ancestors, desire elevation to lofty ranks nor seek advancement to splendid but transient positions. His extreme aptitude was nevertheless admitted by all, and His excessive acuteness and intelligence were universally avowed. In the eyes of the common folk He enjoyed a wonderful esteem, and in all gatherings and assemblies He had a marvellous speech and delivery. Notwithstanding lack of instruction and education such was the keenness of His penetration and the readiness of His apprehension that when during His youthful prime He appeared in assemblies where questions of divinity and points of metaphysics were being discussed, and, in presence of a great concourse of doctors and scholars loosed his tongue, all those present were amazed, accounting this as a sort of prodigy beyond the discernment natural to the human race. From His early years He was the <p35> hope of His kindred and the unique one of His family and race, nay, their refuge and shelter. 
However, in spite of these conditions and circumstances, as He wore a kulah on His head and locks flowing over His shoulder, no one imagined that He would become the source of such matters, or that the waves of His flood would reach the zenith of this firmament. 
When the question of the Báb was noised abroad signs of partiality appeared in Him. At the first He apprised His relatives and connections, and the children and dependents of His own circle; subsequently He occupied His energies by day and night in inviting friends and strangers [to embrace the new faith]. He arose with mighty resolution, engaged with the utmost constancy in systematizing the principles and consolidating the ethical canons of that society in every way, and strove by all means to protect and guard these people. 
Traveller's Narrative

When Bahá'u'lláh was twenty-two years old, His father died, and the Government wished Him to succeed to His father's position in the Ministry, as was customary in Persia, but Bahá'u'lláh did not accept the offer. Then the Prime Minister said: "Leave him to himself. Such a position is unworthy of him. He has some higher aim in view. I cannot understand him, but I am convinced that he is destined for some lofty career. His thought are not like ours. Let him alone." 
Bahá'u'lláh and the New Era

The Blessed Perfection, Bahá'u'lláh, belonged to the royal family of Persia. From earliest childhood He was distinguished among His relatives and friends. They said, "This child has extraordinary power." In wisdom, intelligence and as a source of new knowledge, He was advanced beyond His age and superior to His surroundings. All who knew Him were astonished at His precocity. It was usual for them to say, "Such a child will not live," for it is commonly believed that precocious children do not reach maturity. During the period of youth the Blessed Perfection did not enter school. He was not willing to be taught. This fact is well established among the Persians of Tihran. Nevertheless, He was capable of solving the difficult problems of all who came to Him. In whatever meeting, scientific assembly or theological discussion He was found, He became the authority of explanation upon intricate and abstruse questions presented.
Until His father passed away, Bahá'u'lláh did not seek position or political station notwithstanding His connection with the government. This occasioned surprise and comment. It was frequently said, "How is it that a young man of such keen intelligence and subtle perception does not seek lucrative appointments? As a matter of fact, every position is open to him." This is an historical statement fully attested by the people of Persia.
He was most generous, giving abundantly to the poor. None who came to Him were turned away. The doors of His house were open to all. He always had many guests. This unbounded generosity was conducive to greater astonishment from the fact that He sought neither position nor prominence. In commenting upon this His friends said He would become impoverished, for His expenses were many and His wealth becoming more and more limited. "Why is he not thinking of his own affairs?" they inquired of each other; but some who were wise declared, "This personage is connected with another world; he has something sublime within him that is not evident now; the day is coming when it will be manifested." In truth, the Blessed Perfection was a refuge for every weak one, a shelter for every fearing one, kind to every indigent one, lenient and loving to all creatures.
He became well-known in regard to these qualities before the Báb appeared. Then Bahá'u'lláh declared the Báb's mission to be true and promulgated His teachings. The Báb announced that the greater Manifestation would take place after Him and called the Promised One "Him Whom God shall make manifest," saying that nine years later the reality of His own mission would become apparent. In His writings He stated that in the ninth year this expected One would be known; in the ninth year they would attain to all glory and felicity; in the ninth year they would advance rapidly. Between Bahá'u'lláh and the Báb there was communication privately. The Báb wrote a letter containing three hundred and sixty derivatives of the root Bahá [meaning "glory," "light," or "splendour"]. The Báb was martyred in Tabriz; and Bahá'u'lláh, exiled into 'Iraq in 1852, announced Himself in Baghdad. For the Persian government had decided that as long as He remained in Persia the peace of the country would be disturbed; therefore, He was exiled in the expectation that Persia would become quiet. His banishment, however, produced the opposite effect. New tumult arose, and the mention of His greatness and influence spread everywhere throughout the country. The proclamation of His manifestation and mission was made in Baghdad. He called His friends together there and spoke to them of God. 
Bahá'í World Faith, Selected Writings of Bahá'u'lláh and `Abdu'l-Bahá, 2d ed. (Wilmette: Bahá'í Publishing Trust, 1956), pp. 220-24.

Bahá'u'lláh's reputation as a young man of remarkable ability and the favours extended to Him by Haji Mirza Aqasi, the prime minister, made Him an object of the jealousy of ministers who feared the high position to which He was expected to rise. It also made inevitable a confrontation with the scheming prime minister, who could be expected sooner or later to seek Bahá'u'lláh's support for one of his intrigues. The uprightness of Bahá'u'lláh's dealings with the prime minister and His skill in handling the confrontation while remaining unscathed are indicative of His uncompromising adherence to principle and the divine protection that encircled Him.

One day, as he was passing through the village of Quch-Hisar, which belonged to Bahá'u'lláh, <p121> he was so impressed by the charm and beauty of that place and the abundance of its water that he conceived the idea of becoming its owner. Bahá'u'lláh, whom he had summoned to effect the immediate purchase of that village, observed: "Had this property been exclusively mine own, I would willingly have complied with your desire. This transitory life, with all its sordid possessions, is worthy of no attachment in my eyes, how much less this small and insignificant estate. As a number of other people, both rich and poor, some of full age and some still minors, share with me the ownership of this property, I would request you to refer this matter to them, and to seek their consent." Unsatisfied with this reply, Haji Mirza Aqasi sought, through fraudulent means, to achieve his purpose. So soon as Bahá'u'lláh was informed of his evil designs, He, with the consent of all concerned, immediately transferred the title of the property to the name of the sister of Muhammad Shah, who had already repeatedly expressed her desire to become its owner. The Haji, furious at this transaction, ordered that the estate should be forcibly seized, claiming that he already had purchased it from its original possessor. The representatives of Haji Mirza Aqasi were severely rebuked by the agents of the sister of the Shah, and were requested to inform their master of the determination of that lady to assert her rights. The Haji referred the case to Muhammad Shah, and complained of the unjust treatment to which he had been subjected. That very night, the Shah's sister had acquainted him with the nature of the transaction. "Many a time," she said to her brother, "your Imperial Majesty has graciously signified your desire that I should dispose of the jewels with which I am wont to adorn myself in your presence, and with the proceeds purchase some property. I have at last succeeded in fulfilling your desire. Haji Mirza Aqasi, however, is now fully determined to seize it forcibly from me." The Shah reassured his sister, and commanded the Haji to forgo his claim. The latter, in his despair, summoned Bahá'u'lláh to his presence and, by every artifice, strove to discredit His name. To the charges he brought against Him, Bahá'u'lláh vigorously replied, and succeeded in establishing His innocence. In his impotent rage, the Grand Vazir exclaimed: <p122> "What is the purpose of all this feasting and banqueting in which you seem to delight? I, who am the Prime Minister of the Shahinshah of Persia, never receive the number and variety of guests that crowd around your table every night. Why all this extravagance and vanity? You surely must be meditating a plot against me." "Gracious God!" Bahá'u'lláh replied. "Is the man who, out of the abundance of his heart, shares his bread with his fellow-men, to be accused of harbouring criminal intentions?" Haji Mirza Aqasi was utterly confounded. He dared no reply. Though supported by the combined ecclesiastical and civil powers of Persia, he eventually found himself, in every contest he ventured against Bahá'u'lláh, completely defeated.
On a number of other occasions, Bahá'u'lláh's ascendancy over His opponents was likewise vindicated and recognized. These personal triumphs achieved by Him served to enhance His position, and spread abroad His fame. All classes of men marvelled at His miraculous success in emerging unscathed from the most perilous encounters. Nothing short of Divine protection, they thought, could have ensured His safety on such occasions. Not once did Bahá'u'lláh, beset though He was by the gravest perils, submit to the arrogance, the greed, and the treachery of those around Him. In His constant association, during those days, with the highest dignitaries of the realm, whether ecclesiastical or State officials, He was never content simply to accede to the views they expressed or the claims they advanced. He would, at their gatherings, fearlessly champion the cause of truth, would assert the rights of the downtrodden, defending the weak and protecting the innocent. <p123>
Dawnbreakers
Recognition of the Báb's Prophetic Mission
In 1819 two years after Bahá'u'lláh was born, a child named Siyyid 'Ali-Muhammad was born in the city of Shiraz in the southern province of Fars. He was the son of a merchant who was descended through both parents from the Prophet Muhammad, as the title Siyyid attests. As a child the dignity and serenity of His bearing and the fervour with which He performed His devotions distinguished Him from other boys, while His understanding and nobility of character so astonished His teacher that he took Him home one day and told His uncle that the boy was not in need of his instruction.
In 1844, when Bahá'u'lláh was twenty-six years old, Siyyid
'Ali-Muhammad announced in Shiraz that He was the Báb, or
Gate - the forerunner of the bearer of an even greater revelation,
Whose advent was close at hand, by Whose will He moved, and in Whose path He longed to sacrifice His life. He also announced
that He was the Qà'im - the Messenger of God promised in the
Qur'an Who would usher in a new age of righteousness.
The person to whom the Báb first declared His mission on the evening of 22 May 1844 was Mulla Husayn-i-Bushru'i. He and the next seventeen disciples to seek out and find the Báb alone and unaided became known as Letters of the Living. The Báb sent them to various parts of Persia and Turkistan to raise the call of the new day. To Mulla Husayn the Báb assigned the special mission of travelling to Tihran, saying, "A secret lies hidden in that city. When made manifest, it shall turn the earth into paradise. My hope is that you may partake of its grace and recognise its splendour." The Báb assured Mulla Husayn that the Mystery was of such transcendent holiness that neither Shiraz nor Hijaz, the home of Muhammad, could hope to rival it.
When Mulla Husayn reached Tihran, he stayed at a seminary where he invited the director of the school to accept the Báb's claim. The director failed to respond to Mulla Husayn's message, but a student, Mulla Muhammad from Nur in the province of Mazindaran, became interested when he overheard their discussions. Mirza Musa, Bahá'u'lláh's brother, related the following story, told to him by Mulla Muhammad:

During his stay in Tihran, Mulla Husayn each day would leave his room early in the morning and would return to it only an hour after sunset. Upon his return he would quietly and alone re-enter his room, close the door behind him, and <p104> remain in the privacy of his cell until the next day.[1] Mirza Musa, Aqay-i-Kalim, the brother of Baha'u'llah, recounted to me the following: "I have heard Mulla Muhammad-i-Mu'allim, a native of Nur, in the province of Mazindaran, who was a fervent admirer of both Shaykh Ahmad and Siyyid Kazim, relate this story: 'I was in those days recognized as one of the favoured disciples of Haji Mirza Muhammad, and lived in the same school in which he taught. My room adjoined his room, and we were closely associated together. On the day that he was engaged in discussion with Mulla Husayn, I overheard their conversation from beginning to end, and was deeply affected by the ardour, the fluency, and learning of that youthful stranger. I was surprised at the evasive answers, the arrogance, and contemptuous behaviour of Haji Mirza Muhammad. That day I felt strongly attracted by the charm of that youth, and deeply resented the unseemly conduct of my teacher towards him. I concealed my feelings, however, and pretended to ignore his discussions with Mulla Husayn. I was seized with a passionate desire to meet the latter, and ventured, at the hour of midnight, to visit him. He did not expect me, but I knocked at his door, and found him awake seated beside his lamp. He received me affectionately, and spoke to me with extreme courtesy and tenderness. I unburdened my heart to him, and as I was addressing him, tears, which I could not repress, flowed from my eyes. "I can now see," he said, "the reason why I have chosen to dwell in this place. Your teacher has contemptuously rejected this Message and despised its Author. My hope is that his pupil may, unlike his master, recognize its truth. What is your name, and which city is your home?" "My name," I replied, "is Mulla Muhammad, and my surname Mu'allim. My home is Nur, in the province of Mazindaran." "Tell me," further enquired Mulla Husayn, "is there to-day among the family of the late Mirza Buzurg-i-Nuri, who was so renowned for his character, his charm, and artistic and intellectual attainments, anyone who has proved himself capable of maintaining the high traditions of that <p105> illustrious house?" "Yea," I replied, "among his sons now living, one has distinguished Himself by the very traits which characterised His father. By His virtuous life, His high attainments, His loving-kindness and liberality, He has proved Himself a noble descendant of a noble father." "What is His occupation?" he asked me. "He cheers the disconsolate <p106> and feeds the hungry," I replied. "What of His rank and position?" "He has none," I said, "apart from befriending the poor and the stranger." "What is His name?" "Husayn-'Ali." "In which of the scripts of His father does He excel?" "His favourite script is shikastih-nasta'liq." "How does He spend His time?" "He roams the woods and delights in the beauties of the countryside."[2] "What is His age?" "Eight and twenty."[0] The eagerness with which Mulla Husayn questioned me, and the sense of delight with which he welcomed every particular I gave him, greatly surprised me. Turning to me, with his face beaming with satisfaction and joy, he once more enquired: "I presume you often meet Him?" "I frequently visit His home," I replied. "Will you," he said, "deliver into His hands a trust from me?" "Most assuredly," was my reply. He then gave me a scroll wrapped in a piece of cloth, and requested me to hand it to Him the next day at the hour of dawn. "Should He deign to answer me," he added, "will you be kind enough to acquaint me with His reply. I received the scroll from him and, at break of day, arose to carry out his desire.
[0] According to the solar calendar, Bahá'u'lláh was twenty-six. The interview took place about three months after the Báb's declaration and about three months before Bahá'u'lláh's twenty-seventh birthday.
 [1 According to Samandar (manuscript, p. 2), Mulla Husayn, on his way from Shiraz to Tihran in the year 1260 A.H., was the bearer of a Tablet revealed by the Báb for Muhammad Shah.]
 [2 "On one occasion," writes Dr. J. E. Esslemont, "Abdu'l-Bahá, the eldest son of Bahá'u'lláh, related to the writer the following particulars about +His Father's early days: 'From childhood He was extremely kind and generous. He was a great lover of outdoor life, most of His time being spent in the garden or the fields. He had an extraordinary power of attraction, which was felt by all. People always crowded around Him. Ministers and people of the Court would surround Him, and the children also were devoted to Him. When He was only thirteen or fourteen years old He became renowned for His learning.... When Bahá'u'lláh was twenty-two years old, His father died, and the Government wished Him to succeed to His father's position in the Ministry as was customary in Persia, but Bahá'u'lláh did not accept the offer. Then the Prime Minister said: "Leave him to himself. Such a position is unworthy of him. He has some higher aim in view. I cannot understand him, but I am convinced that he is destined for some lofty career. His thoughts are not like ours. Let him alone."'" ("Bahá'u'lláh and the New Era," pp. 29-30.)]
"'As I approached the house of Bahá'u'lláh, I recognized His brother Mirza Musa, who was standing at the gate, and to whom I communicated the object of my visit. He went into the house and soon reappeared bearing a message of welcome. I was ushered into His presence, and presented the scroll to Mirza Musa, who laid it before Bahá'u'lláh. He bade us both be seated. Unfolding the scroll, He glanced at its contents and began to read aloud to us certain of its passages. I sat enraptured as I listened to the sound of His <p107> voice and the sweetness of its melody. He had read a page of the scroll when, turning to His brother, He said: "Musa, what have you to say? Verily I say, whoso believes in the Qur'an and recognizes its Divine origin, and yet hesitates, though it be for a moment, to admit that these soul-stirring words are endowed with the same regenerating power, has most assuredly erred in his judgment and has strayed far from the path of justice." He spoke no more. Dismissing me from His presence, He charged me to take to Mulla Husayn, as a gift from Him, a loaf of Russian sugar and a package of tea,[1] and to convey to him the expression of His appreciation and love.
 [1 Tea and that variety of sugar being extremely rare in Persia at that time, both were used as gifts among the higher classes of the population.]
"'I arose and, filled with joy, hastened back to Mulla Husayn, and delivered to him the gift and message of Bahá'u'lláh. With what joy and exultation he received them from me! Words fail me to describe the intensity of his emotion. He started to his feet, received with bowed head the gift from my hand, and fervently kissed it. He then took me in his arms, kissed my eyes, and said: "My dearly beloved friend! I pray that even as you have rejoiced my heart, God may grant you eternal felicity and fill your heart with imperishable gladness." I was amazed at the behaviour of Mulla Husayn. What could be, I thought to myself, the nature of the bond that unites these two souls? What could have kindled so fervid a fellowship in their hearts? Why should Mulla Husayn, in whose sight the pomp and circumstance of royalty were the merest trifle, have evinced such gladness at the sight of so inconsiderable a gift from the hands of Bahá'u'lláh? I was puzzled by this thought and could not unravel its mystery. 
"'A few days later, Mulla Husayn left for Khurasan. As he bade me farewell, he said: "Breathe not to anyone what you have heard and witnessed. Let this be a secret hidden within your breast. Divulge not His name, for they who envy His position will arise to harm Him. In your moments of meditation, pray that the Almighty may protect Him, that, through Him, He may exalt the downtrodden, enrich the poor, <p108> and redeem the fallen. The secret of things is concealed from our eyes. Ours is the duty to raise the call of the New Day and to proclaim this Divine Message unto all people. Many a soul will, in this city, shed his blood in this path. That blood will water the Tree of God, will cause it to flourish, and to overshadow all mankind."'" <p109>
Dawnbreakers

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.
Dawnbreakers

We, verily, believe in Him Who, in the person of the Báb, hath been sent down by the Will of the one true God, the King of Kings, the All-Praised. We, moreover, swear fealty to the One Who, in the time of Mustaghath [1], is destined to be made manifest, as well as to those Who shall come after Him till the end that hath no end. We recognize in the manifestation of each one of them, whether outwardly or inwardly, the manifestation of none but God Himself, if ye be of those that comprehend. Every one of them is a mirror of God, reflecting naught else but His Self, His Beauty, His Might and Glory, if ye will understand. All else besides them are to be regarded as mirrors capable of reflecting the glory of these Manifestations Who are themselves the Primary Mirrors of the Divine Being, if ye be not devoid of understanding. No one hath ever escaped them, neither are they to be hindered from achieving their purpose. These Mirrors will everlastingly succeed each other, and will continue to reflect the light of the Ancient of Days. They that reflect their glory will, in like manner, continue to exist for evermore, for the Grace of God can never cease from flowing. This is a truth that none can disprove.
[1 Literally, He Who is Invoked for Help. A term the Báb used to refer to the advent of the Promised One.]
Bahá'u'lláh, Gleanings XXX

Magnify Thou, O Lord my God, Him Who is the Primal Point, the Divine Mystery, the Unseen Essence, the Dayspring of Divinity, and the Manifestation of Thy Lordship, through Whom all the knowledge of the past and all the knowledge of the future were made plain, through Whom the pearls of Thy hidden wisdom were uncovered, and the mystery of Thy treasured name disclosed, Whom Thou hast appointed as the Announcer of the One through Whose name the letter B and the letter E have been joined and united, through Whom Thy majesty, Thy sovereignty and Thy might were made known, and Thy laws set forth with clearness, and Thy signs spread abroad, and Thy Word established, through Whom the hearts of Thy chosen ones were laid bare, and all that were in the heavens and all that were on the earth were gathered together, Whom Thou has called 'Alí-Muhammad in the kingdom of Thy names, and the Spirit of Spirits in the Tablets of Thine irrevocable decree, Whom Thou hast invested with Thine own title, unto Whose name all other names have, at Thy bidding and through the power of Thy might, been made to return, and in Whom Thou hast caused all Thine attributes and titles to attain their final consummation.  To Him also belong such names as lay hid within Thy stainless tabernacles, in Thine invisible world and Thy sanctified cities. 
Magnify Thou, moreover, such as have believed in Him and in His signs and have turned towards Him, from among those that have acknowledged Thy unity in His Latter Manifestation—a Manifestation whereof He hath made mention in His Tablets, and in His Books, and in His Scriptures, and in all the wondrous verses and gem-like utterances that have descended upon Him.  It is this same Manifestation Whose covenant Thou hast bidden Him establish ere He had established His own covenant.  He it is Whose praise the Bayán hath celebrated.  In it His excellence hath been extolled, and His truth established, and His sovereignty proclaimed, and His Cause perfected.  Blessed is the man that hath turned unto Him, and fulfilled the things He hath commanded, O Thou Who art the Lord of the worlds and the Desire of all them that have known Thee! 
Praised be Thou, O my God, inasmuch as Thou hast aided us to recognize and love Him.  I, therefore, beseech Thee by Him and by Them who are the Daysprings of Thy Divinity, and the Manifestations of Thy Lordship, and the Treasuries of Thy Revelation, and the Depositories of Thine inspiration, to enable us to serve and obey Him, and to empower us to become the helpers of His Cause and the dispensers of His adversaries.  Powerful art Thou to do all that pleaseth Thee.  No God is there beside Thee, the Almighty, the All-Glorious, the One Whose help is sought by all men!
Bahá'u'lláh, Prayer for the Fast

Do Thou bless, O Lord my God, the Primal Point, through Whom the point of creation hath been made to revolve in both the visible and invisible worlds, Whom Thou hast designated as the One whereunto should return whatsoever must return unto Thee, and as the Revealer of whatsoever may be manifested by Thee. Do Thou also bless such of His Letters as have not turned away from Thee, who have been firmly established in Thy love, and clung steadfastly to Thy good-pleasure. Bless Thou, likewise, as long as Thine own Self endureth and Thine own Essence doth last, them that have suffered martyrdom in Thy path. Thou art, verily, the Ever-Forgiving, the Most Merciful.
Moreover, I beseech Thee, O my God, by Him Whom Thou hast announced unto us in all Thy Tablets and Thy Books and Thy Scrolls and Thy Scriptures, through Whom the kingdom of names hath been convulsed, and all that lay hid in the breasts of them that have followed their evil and corrupt desires hath been revealed,--I beseech Thee to strengthen us in our love for Him, to make us steadfast in His Cause, to help us befriend His loved ones and challenge His enemies. Shield us, then, O my God, from the mischief wrought by them that have denied Thy presence, and turned away from Thy face, and resolved to put an end to the life of Him Who is the Manifestation of Thine own Self. 
Bahá'u'lláh, Prayers and Meditations
In the Service of the Cause of the Báb
When the Báb received a letter from Mullá Husayn reporting that His trust had been successfully delivered to Bahá'u'lláh, He undertook a pilgrimage to Mecca with Quddus, the eighteenth and most eminent Letter of the Living. While in Mecca, the Báb performed the usual rites of pilgrimage and then, in front of a great crowd of pilgrims, grasped the ring an the door to the Ka'bih and called aloud three times: 'I am that Qa'im whose advent you have been awaiting." As the Báb's voice rang out, a sudden hush settled over the teeming crowd of pilgrims the vast majority of whom failed to grasp the significance of His words.
Meanwhile, the Báb's disciples were busy spreading the news of His advent throughout Persia. The tumult raised by their activities led the governor of Fars to send a squadron of soldiers to the seaport of Bushihr to arrest the Báb upon His return to Persia and bring Him to Shiraz, where He was severely rebuked in the governor's presence and violently struck in the face. Released on parole, the Báb spent a few months under house arrest in the home of an uncle. It was during this time that He granted three interviews to an emissary of the Shah, Siyyid Yahyày'-i-Daràbi, who had been sent to investigate the Báb's claims. As a result of his meetings with the Báb, Siyyid Yahya (later given the name Vahid) was wholeheartedly won over to His Cause.
The Báb's teachings threw Shíráz into a frenzy. The conversion of Vahid, other prominent priests, and increasing numbers of people throughout the country provoked deep anxiety among the
clergy, and in September 1846 the Báb was sent from Shíráz to Isfáhán, where He enjoyed several months of relative calm. But as increasing numbers of people in Isfáhán, including the governor, gave the Báb their allegiance, Hájí Mírzá Aqàsi, the prime minister, began to fear that an interview which the governor sought to arrange between the Báb and Muhammad Shah would draw the Shàh under the Báb's spell. Blocking the Shàh's order that the Báb be brought to Tihran, Hàji Mirza Aqasi arranged for the Báb to be sent to the castle of Mah-Ku in the remote and mountainous region of Adhirbayjan, where He arrived in July 1847. The strict terms of His confinement were soon relaxed as the warden and the people surrounding the castle became mesmerized by the Báb's loving influence, and Bàbi pilgrims, including Mulla Husayn, made their way to see Him. Learning of these developments, Haji Mirza Aqasi transferred the Báb in April 1848 to the fortress of Chihriq, where He remained until shortly before His execution on 9 July 1850 in Tabriz.
Tahirih and the Conference of Badasht
Shortly after the Báb's arrival at the prison-fortress of Chihriq, He sent a letter to all the Bábis of Persia, summoning them to Khurasàn. Tàhirih, one of the Letters of the Living and the most outstanding woman of the Babi Dispensation, was on her way to Khurasan from Baghdad when she was met by a delegation her father had sent to persuade her to delay her trip and visit her family in Qazvin. She reluctantly agreed and stayed in her father's home, refusing to be reunited with her husband, an arrogant and devious clergyman.
Tahirih's father-in-law and uncle, Haji Mulla Taqi, was a prominent member of the Muslim clergy who bitterly opposed the Faith of the Báb. Angered by Tahirih's convictions and her refusal to reconcile with his son, he escalated his attacks from the pulpit on the Báb and the Báb's heralds, Shaykh Ahmad and Siyyid Kazim. An admirer of Shaykh Ahmad and Siyyid Kazim became incensed at Hájí Mulla Taqi's venomous sermons and stabbed him to death in the mosque.
Although the Bábis of Qazvin were innocent of any involvement in the murder, three were arrested and summarily executed. Bahá'u'lláh, Who had given financial assistance to the wrongly accused Bábis, was arrested and imprisoned briefly in Tihran after Hájí Mulla Taqi's family falsely accused Him of complicity in the murder. Tahirih was put under house arrest but, as a result of Bahá'u'lláh's intervention, was freed. She joined her fellow believers in Khurasàn in the hamlet of Badasht in June 1848. There, in gardens rented by Bahá'u'lláh, a conference was held to implement the Báb's revelation by making a sudden and dramatic break with Islam. A secondary purpose of the conference which from the beginning was destined to fail, was to devise a plan to free the Báb from captivity.
Tahirih was the instrument through which the break with Islamic laws and customs would be made. Bahá'u'lláh, Who corresponded continually with the Báb and was the guiding hand behind the activities of the Bábis, quietly but effectively presided over and controlled the conference proceedings. Each day He revealed a Tablet that was chanted before the assembled gathering, and on each believer who was present He bestowed a new name without making known the source from which the names came. He Himself became known by the title Bahá (Glory).
Tahirih, who previously had been known by the title Qurratu'l-'Ayn (Solace of the Eyes), and who was regarded as the quintessence of chastity and the incarnation of Fatimih (Muhammad's daughter), stunned the participants by appearing before them unveiled. The violation of so central a code of Islamic conduct threw the conference into disarray. One man was so horrified that he cut his throat, while others renounced their faith. Standing her ground, Tahirih eloquently proclaimed the inauguration of a new Dispensation and invited her fellow believers to celebrate so momentous an occasion.
Despite the furore Tàhirih caused, the primary purpose of the conference was fully realized, and from that point onward the independent character of the Báb's revelation was asserted.

"In a Tablet which We yesterday revealed, We have explained the meaning of the words, `Turn your eyes away,'(2) in the course of Our reference to the circumstances attending the gathering at Badasht. We were celebrating, in the company of a number of distinguished notables, the nuptials of one of the princes of royal blood in Tihran, when Siyyid Ahmad-i-Yazdi, father of Siyyid Husayn, the Báb's amanuensis, appeared suddenly at the door. He beckoned to Us, and seemed to be the bearer of an important message which he wished immediately to deliver. We were, however, unable at that moment to leave the gathering, and motioned to him to wait. When the meeting had dispersed, he informed Us that Tahirih had been placed in strict confinement in Qazvin, and that her life was in great danger. We immediately summoned Muhammad-Hadiy-i-Farhadi, and gave him the necessary directions to release her from her captivity, and escort her to the capital. As the enemy had seized Our house, We were unable to accommodate her indefinitely in Our home. Accordingly, We arranged for her transference from Our house to that of the Minister of War, (1) who, in those days, had been disgraced by his sovereign and had been deported to Kashan. We requested his sister, who still was numbered among Our friends, to act as hostess to Tahirih.
"She remained in her company until the call of the Báb, bidding Us proceed to Khurasan, reached Our ears. We decided that Tahirih should proceed immediately to that province, and commissioned Mirza (2) to conduct her to a place outside the gate of the city, and from thence to any locality she deemed advisable in that neighbourhood. She was taken to an orchard in the vicinity of which was a deserted building, where they found an old man who acted as its caretaker. Mirza Musa returned and informed Us of the reception which had been accorded to them, and highly praised the beauty of the surrounding landscape. We subsequently arranged for her departure for Khurasan, and promised that We would follow within the space of a few days.
"We soon joined her at Badasht, where We rented a garden for her use, and appointed the same Muhammad-Hadi who had achieved her deliverance, as her doorkeeper. About seventy of Our companions were with Us and lodged in a place in the vicinity of that garden.
"We fell ill one day, and were confined to bed. Tahirih sent a request to call upon Us. We were surprised at her message, and were at a loss as to what We should reply. Suddenly We saw her at the door, her face unveiled before Us. How well has Mirza Aqa Jan (3) commented upon that incident. `The face of Fatimih,' he said, `must needs be revealed on the Day of Judgment and appear unveiled before the eyes of men. At that moment the voice of the Unseen shall be heard saying: "Turn your eyes away from that which ye have seen."
"How great was the consternation that seized the companions on that day! Fear and bewilderment filled their hearts. A few, unable to tolerate that which was to them so revolting a departure from the established customs of Islam, fled in horror from before her face. Dismayed, they sought refuge in a deserted castle in that neighbourhood. Among those who were scandalised by her behaviour and severed from her entirely were the Siyyid-i-Nahri (4) and his brother Mirza Hadi, to both of whom We sent word that it was unnecessary for them to desert their companions and seek refuge in a castle.
"Our friends eventually dispersed, leaving Us at the mercy of Our enemies. 
1. Mirza Aqa Khán-i-Nùri, a distant relative of Bahá'u'lláh who later became Grand Vazir (prime minister) under Nasiri'd-Din Shah.
2. Mírzá Musa, also known as Aqay-i-Kalim, a faithful younger brother of Bahá'u'lláh who accompanied Him in His exiles.
3. Bahá'u'lláh's amanuensis.
4. Mirza Muhammad-'Aliy-i-Nahri.
Dawnbreakers, p 461

The Incident at Niyala
Following the conference of Badasht, Bahá'u'lláh, Tahirih, and Quddus decided to go to Mazindaràn. On their way they passed through the village of Niyala, where they encountered more than five hundred hostile villagers whose opposition had been aroused by the excesses committed by a few of the Bábis who had attended the conference of Badasht. Misinterpreting Tàhirih's act of discarding her veil as a license for self-indulgence, these Bábis had abused the liberty that the Báb's abrogation of Islamic law had conferred upon them. Although, as Nabil says, their conduct "provoked the wrath of the Almighty and caused their immediate dispersion," it had unfortunate consequences for Bahá'u'lláh and His companions.

"We were all gathered in the village of Niyala and were resting at the foot of a mountain, when, at the hour of dawn, we were suddenly awakened by the stones which the people of the neighbourhood were hurling upon us from the top of the mountain. The fierceness of their attack induced our companions to flee in terror and consternation. I clothed Quddus in my own garments and despatched him to a place of safety, where I intended to join him. When I arrived, I found that he had gone. None of our companions had remained in Niyala except Tahirih and a young man from Shiraz, Mirza Abdu'llah. The violence with which we were assailed had brought desolation into our camp. I found no one into whose custody I could deliver Tahirih except that young man, who displayed on that occasion a courage and determination that were truly surprising. Sword in hand, undaunted by the savage assault of the inhabitants of the village, who had rushed to plunder our property, he sprang forward to stay the hand of the assailants. Though himself wounded in several parts of his body, he risked his life to protect our property. I bade him desist from his act. When the tumult had subsided, I approached a number of the inhabitants of the village and was able to convince them of the cruelty and shamefulness of their behaviour. I subsequently succeeded in restoring a part of our plundered property."
Bahá'u'lláh, accompanied by Tahirih and her attendant, proceeded to Nur. He appointed Shaykh Abu-Turab to watch over her and ensure her protection and safety. Meanwhile the mischief-makers were endeavouring to kindle the anger of Muhammad Shah against Bahá'u'lláh, and, by representing Him as the prime mover of the disturbances of Shah-Rud and Mazindaran, succeeded eventually in inducing the sovereign to have Him arrested. "I have hitherto," the Shah is reported to have angrily remarked, "refused to countenance whatever has been said against him. My indulgence has been actuated by my recognition of the services rendered to my country by his father. This time, however, I am determined to put him to death." 
Dawnbreakers

Arrest, Detention, and Bastinado in Amul
After the incident at Niyala, Bahá'u'lláh continued His journey to Nur, where He stayed for the remainder of the summer and early fall of 1848. Tàhirih was detained under house arrest in Tihran, where she remained until August 1852, when she was martyred, while Quddus had been arrested and imprisoned in Sàri. Amidst these happenings, Muhammad Shah had issued an edict for Bahá'u'lláh's arrest and had expressed his intention of executing Him. However, the Shah's death shortly thereafter, on 4 September 1848, nullified the edict.
Meanwhile, in Khurasan a messenger of the Báb delivered to Mulla Husayn the Báb's green turban (a symbol of His descent from the Prophet Muhammad) and a Tablet bidding him to hasten to Mazindaran to aid Quddus. As he marched to Mazindaran, more than three hundred Bábis joined him. Encountering opposition in Barfurush, the home of Quddus, the Bábis hastily built a fortress about fourteen miles away around the mausoleum of a Muslim saint named Shaykh Tabarsi to protect themselves from the onslaught of the clergy, who had inflamed the anti-Babi sentiments of the local populace. Hearing of these developments while in Nur, Bahá'u'lláh decided to visit the Bábis at Tabarsi, where He provided them with a sumptuous dinner and approved the arrangements they had made. Observing that the one thing that was missing was the presence of Quddùs, Bahá'u'lláh directed one of the Bábis to go with six men to Sari and demand the release of Quddus. The leading cleric of Sàri complied with the demand, and Quddus joined the Bábis at Tabarsi. Bahá'u'lláh left for His home in Tihran, promising to return with provisions. On the return trip in December 1848 Bahá'u'lláh and His companions - who included His younger half-brother Mirza Yahyá - were arrested outside the village of Amul by guards who had been ordered to prevent anyone from joining the Bábis at the fort.
The guards escorted Bahá'u'lláh and His companions to Amul, where the acting governor having been notified of the Bábis' approach, had asked the clergy to assemble at the mosque. When he recognized Bahá'u'lláh, he was filled with regret at having summoned the clergy and tried to appease them by feigning to reprimand Bahá'u'lláh. The clergy then put questions to Bahá'u'lláh. His masterful answers so inflamed their bigoted animosity that they demanded the captives' immediate execution. The acting governor sought to defuse the situation by ordering that the captives be punished with the bastinado (a form of torture that involves being beaten on the soles of the feet with a rod) and by promising to keep the Bábis in custody until the governor returned. However, Bahá'u'lláh intervened, requesting that He be punished in the place of His companions. The acting governor reluctantly agreed. Five months earlier, the Báb had suffered the same treatment after being brought from the prison-fortress of Chihriq to Tabriz for interrogation by the clergy before the crown prince, heir to the throne, one of several instances in which the tribulations suffered by Bahá'u'lláh were preceded by similar tribulations suffered by the Báb.

 "God knows that at no time did We attempt to conceal Ourself or hide the Cause which We have been bidden to proclaim. Though not wearing the garb of the people of learning, We have again and again faced and reasoned with men of great scholarship in both Núr and Mázindarán, and have succeeded in persuading them of the truth of this Revelation. We never flinched in Our determination; We never hesitated to accept the challenge from whatever direction it came. To whomsoever We spoke in those days, We found him receptive to our Call and ready to identify himself with its precepts. But for the shameful behaviour of the people of Bayán, who sullied by their deeds the work We had accomplished, Núr and Mázindarán would have been entirely won to this Cause and would have been accounted by this time among its leading strongholds.
At a time when the forces of Prince Mihdí-Qulí Mírzá had besieged the fort of Tabarsí, We resolved to depart from Núr and lend Our assistance to its heroic defenders. We had intended to send 'Abdu'l-Vahháb, one of Our companions, in advance of Us, and to request him to announce Our approach to the besieged. Though encompassed by the forces of the enemy, We had decided to throw in Our lot with those steadfast companions, and to risk the dangers with which 584 they were confronted. This, however, was not to be. The hand of Omnipotence spared Us from their fate and preserved Us for the work We were destined to accomplish. In pursuance of God's inscrutable wisdom, the intention We had formed was, before Our arrival at the fort, communicated by certain inhabitants of Núr to Mírzá Taqí, the governor of Ámul, who sent his men to intercept Us. While We were resting and taking Our tea, We found Ourselves suddenly surrounded by a number of horsemen, who seized Our belongings and captured Our steeds. We were given, in exchange for Our own horse, a poorly saddled animal which We found it extremely uncomfortable to ride. The rest of Our companions were conducted, handcuffed, to Ámul. 
Dawnbreakers

That which hath touched this Wronged One is beyond compare or equal. We have borne it all with the utmost willingness and resignation, so that the souls of men may be edified, and the Word of God be exalted. While confined in the prison of the Land of Mím (Mazindarán) We were one day delivered into the hands of the divines. Thou canst well imagine what befell Us. Shouldst thou at some time happen to visit the dungeon of His Majesty the Sháh, ask the director and chief jailer to show thee those two chains, one of which is known as Qará-Guhar, and the other as Salásil. I swear by the Daystar of Justice that for four months this Wronged One was tormented and chained by one or the other of them. "My grief exceedeth all the woes to which Jacob gave vent, and all the afflictions of Job are but a part of My sorrows!"
ESW, Bahá'u'lláh

When, at a later time, We went to Amul, such was the turmoil which the people had raised that above four thousand persons had congregated in the masjid and had crowded onto the roofs of their houses. The leading mulla of the town denounced Us bitterly. `You have perverted the Faith of Islam,' he cried in his mazindarani dialect, `and sullied its fame! Last night I saw you in a dream enter the masjid, which was thronged by an eager multitude that had gathered to witness your arrival. As the crowd pressed round you, I beheld, and, lo, the Qa'im was standing in a corner with His gaze fixed upon your countenance, His features betraying great surprise. This dream I regard as evidence of your having deviated from the path of Truth.' We assured him that the expression of surprise on that countenance was a sign of the Qa'im's strong disapproval of the treatment he and his fellow-townsmen had accorded Us. He questioned Us regarding the Mission of the Báb. We informed him that, although We had never met Him face to face, yet We cherished, none the less, a great affection for Him. We expressed Our profound conviction that He had, under no circumstances, acted contrary to the Faith of Islam.
The mulla and his followers, however refused to believe Us, and rejected Our testimony as a perversion of the truth. They eventually placed Us in confinement, and forbade Our friends to meet Us. The acting governor of Amul succeeded in effecting Our release from captivity. Through an opening in the wall that he ordered his men to make, he enabled Us to leave that room, and conducted Us to his house. No sooner were the inhabitants informed of this act than they arose against Us, besieged the governor's residence, pelted Us with stones, and hurled in Our face the foulest invectives.
"At the time We proposed to send Muhammad-Hadiy-i-Farhadi to Qazvin, in order to achieve the deliverance of Tahirih and conduct her to Tihran, Shaykh Abu-Turab wrote Us, insisting that such an attempt was fraught with grave risks and might occasion an unprecedented tumult. We
refused to be deflected from Our purpose. That Shaykh was a kind-hearted man, was simple and lowly in temper, and behaved with great dignity. He lacked courage and determination, however, and betrayed weakness on certain occasions."
Dawnbreakers

Mírzá Taqí succeeded, in spite of the tumult Our arrival had raised, and in the face of the opposition of the 'ulamás, in releasing Us from their grasp and in conducting Us to his own house. He extended to Us the warmest hospitality. Occasionally he yielded to the pressure which the 'ulamás were continuously bringing to bear upon him, and felt himself powerless to defeat their attempts to harm Us [bastinadoed]. We were still in his house when the Sardár [Military commander], who had joined the army in Mázindarán, returned to Ámul. No sooner was he informed of the indignities We had suffered than he rebuked Mírzá Taqí for the weakness he had shown in protecting Us from Our enemies. 'Of what importance,' he indignantly demanded, 'are the denunciations of this ignorant people? Why is it that you have allowed yourself to be swayed by their clamour? You should have been satisfied with preventing the party from reaching their destination and, instead of detaining them in this house, you should have arranged for their safe and immediate return to Tihrán.'
"Whilst in Sarí, We were again exposed to the insults of the people. Though the notables of that town were, for the most part, Our friends and had on several occasions met Us in Tihrán, no sooner had the townspeople recognised Us, as We walked with Quddús in the streets, than they began to hurl their invectives at Us. The cry 'Babi! Bábí!' greeted Us wherever We went. We were unable to escape their bitter denunciations.
Dawnbreakers

No prisoner has ever been accorded the treatment which I received at the hands of the acting governor of Ámul. 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 Abbás-Qulí Khán-i-Laríjání, might return from the fort of Tabarsí 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 Ámul, 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 Ámul. 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 Islám and to be the guardians of its interests, let them betake themselves to the fort of Shaykh Tabarsí and there demonstrate their capacity to defend the Faith of which they profess to be the champions.'
Dawnbreakers

Martyrdom of the Báb
Having been prevented from joining the Bábis at the fort of Shaykh Tabarsi, Bahá'u'lláh returned to Tihràn, where His home became a centre of Bàbi activity. Among those to receive His hospitality were Tàhirih, Vahid, and Nabil.
At Shaykh Tabarsi the 313 Bábis who had gathered there withstood for eight months with extraordinary heroism the attacks of the royal army, whose numbers had swelled to twelve thousand. Devoid of food, the Bábis resorted to eating grass, the leather of their belts and shoes, and the skin and ground bones of their horses. Under mounting pressure from the newly enthroned Nasiri'd-Din Shah to defeat the Bábis, the commander of the army in May 1849 proposed a truce, swearing on the Qur'àn that the Bábis would be allowed to return to their homes in safety. Although aware of his treacherous intent, the Bábis laid down their arms, came out of the fort, and were massacred.
The humiliation the Shah's army had suffered in its inability to defeat the Bábis swiftly and without deceit at Shaykh Tabarsi inflamed the animosity that the Shàh's prime minister, Mirza Tàqi Khán, held for the Báb and His followers. Throughout the country the venomous attacks of the government and clergy plunged the Bábis into a maelstrom of persecution in which thousands perished. In February 1850 seven Bábis were publicly executed in Tihràn after refusing to recant their faith. Shortly thereafter about seven Bábis in Nayriz, under the leadership of Vahid, and eighteen hundred Bábis in Zanján under Hujjat, an eminent priest who had become one of the Báb's leading followers, sought protection by banding together in forts. After bloody and protracted battles, they, too, were slaughtered. Further shaken and alarmed by these events, the prime minister resolved to destroy the Bàbi Cause completely and ordered that the Báb be brought from the prison-fortress of Chihriq to Tabriz for execution.
Forty days before the officer bearing the order summoning the Báb to Tabriz arrived in Chihriq, the Báb, aware of His impending death, placed His documents, seals and rings in a coffer and dispatched them in the care of a trusted disciple to Bahá'u'lláh in Tihran. Among the documents was a Tablet of about five hundred verses, all of which were derivatives of the word Bahá, recorded on a scroll of blue paper in the form of a pentacle in the Báb's exquisite handwriting.
On 9 July 1850 the Báb was suspended by a rope fixed to a nail on the wall of the barracks square of Tabriz and shot by a firing squad of 750 soldiers. His execution brought to an end, Shoghi Effendi says, "the tumultuous and tragic ministry of One Whose age inaugurated the consummation of all ages, and Whose Revelation fulfilled the promise of all Revelations."

"…And now consider how this Sadrih [tree] of the Ridván of God hath, in the prime of youth, risen to proclaim the l Cause of God. Behold, what steadfastness He, the Beauty of God, hath revealed! The whole world rose to hinder Him, yet it utterly failed! The more severe the persecution they inflicted on that Sadrih of Blessedness, the more His fervour increased, and the brighter burned the flame of His love. All this is evident, and none disputeth its truth. Finally, He surrendered His soul, and winged His flight unto the realms above.
Dawnbreakers

Ages rolled away, until they attained their consummation in this, the Lord of days, the Day whereon the Day Star of the Bayán manifested itself above the horizon of mercy, the Day in which the Beauty of the All-Glorious shone forth in the exalted person of 'Alí-Muhammad, the Báb. No sooner did He reveal Himself, than all the people rose up against Him. By some He was denounced as one that hath uttered slanders against God, the Almighty, the Ancient of Days. Others regarded Him as a man smitten with madness, an allegation which I, Myself, have heard from the lips of one of the divines. Still others disputed His claim to be the Mouthpiece of God, and stigmatized Him as one who had stolen and used as his the words of the Almighty, who had perverted their meaning, and mingled them with his 146 own. The Eye of Grandeur weepeth sore for the things which their mouths have uttered, while they continue to rejoice upon their seats.
"God," said He, "is My witness, O people! I am come to you with a Revelation from the Lord, your God, the Lord of your fathers of old. Look not, O people, at the things ye possess. Look rather at the things God hath sent down unto you. This, surely, will be better for you than the whole of creation, could ye but perceive it. Repeat the gaze, O people, and consider the testimony of God and His proof which are in your possession, and compare them unto the Revelation sent down unto you in this Day, that the truth, the infallible truth, may be indubitably manifested unto you. Follow not, O people, the steps of the Evil One; follow ye the Faith of the All-Merciful, and be ye of them that truly believe. What would it profit man, if he were to fail to recognize the Revelation of God? Nothing whatever. To this Mine own Self, the Omnipotent, the Omniscient, the All-Wise, will testify."
The more He exhorted them, the fiercer grew their enmity, till, at the last, they put Him to death with shameful cruelty. The curse of God be upon the oppressors! 
Gleanings 76, Bahá'u'lláh

Reflect, O Shaykh, upon the Shí'ih sect [12]. How many the edifices which they reared with the hands of idle fancies and vain imaginings, and how numerous the cities which they built! At length those vain imaginings were converted into bullets and aimed 120 at Him Who is the Prince of the world. Not one single soul among the leaders of that sect acknowledged Him in the Day of His Revelation! Whenever His blessed name was mentioned, all would say: "May God hasten the joy His coming will bring!" On the day of the Revelation of that Sun of Truth, however, all, as hath been observed, have exclaimed, saying: "May God hasten His chastisement!" He Who was the Essence of being and Lord of the seen and unseen they suspended, and committed what made the Tablet to weep, and the Pen to groan, and the cries of the sincere to break forth, and the tears of the favored ones to flow.
12. Shaykh Muhammad Taqiy-i-Najafi a Shi'ah divine of Isfahan to whom Bahá'u'lláh addressed the Epistle to the Son of the Wolf. Both father and son were bitter opponents of the Bábi and Bahá'í Faiths.
Bahá'u'lláh, Epistle to the Son of the Wolf

Tributes to Bábi Martyrs
The systematic campaign waged against the Báb and His followers by the civil and religious authorities of Persia had succeeded in depriving the newborn Faith of its chief protagonists and had culminated in the execution of the Báb Himself. These tragic events were followed in the ensuing years by the extermination of more than ten thousand Bábis, including virtually all of the Báb leading supporters, with the exception of One Who, through the mysterious workings of Providence, had been spared the fate of His fellow believers and Who would at a later date arise to redeem the Cause for which they had sacrificed their lives. In numerous Tablets Bahá'u'lláh extols the heroism of the Babi martyrs, whose blood watered the seeds of His Administrative Order, which in the fullness of time will overshadow all humankind.

 "...No sooner had that eternal Beauty revealed Himself in Shiraz, in the year sixty, and rent asunder the veil of concealment, than the signs of the ascendancy, the might, the sovereignty, and power emanating from that Essence of Essences and Sea of Seas, were manifest in every land. So much so, that from every city there appeared the signs, the evidences, the tokens, and testimonies of that Divine Luminary. How many were those pure and kindly hearts which faithfully reflected the light of that eternal Sun! And how manifold the emanations of knowledge from that Ocean of Divine Wisdom which encompassed all beings! in every city, all the divines and nobles rose to hinder and repress them, and girded up the loins of malice, of envy, and tyranny for their suppression. How great the number of those holy souls, those essences of justice, who, accused of tyranny, were put to death! And how many embodiments of purity, who showed forth naught but true knowledge and stainless deeds, suffered an agonising death! Notwithstanding all this, each of these holy beings, up to his last moment, breathed the name of God and soared in the realm of submission and resignation. Such was the potency and transmuting influence which He exercised over them, that they ceased to cherish any desire but His Will, and wedded their souls to His remembrance.
"Reflect: Who in the world is able to manifest such transcendent power, such pervading influence? All these stainless hearts and sanctified souls have, with absolute resignation, responded to the summons of His decree. Instead of making complaint, they rendered thanks unto God, and, amidst the darkness of their anguish, they revealed naught but radiant acquiescence in His Will. It is well known how relentless was the hate, and how bitter the malice and enmity, entertained by all the peoples of the earth towards these Companions. The persecution and pain which they inflicted on these holy and spiritual beings were regarded by them as means unto salvation, prosperity, and everlasting success. Hath the world, since the days of Adam, witnessed such tumult, such violent commotion? Notwithstanding all the torture they suffered, and the manifold afflictions they endured, they became the object of universal opprobrium and execration. Methinks, patience was revealed only by virtue of their fortitude, and faithfulness itself was begotten by their deeds.
"Do thou ponder these momentous happenings in thine heart, so that thou mayest apprehend the greatness of this Revelation, and perceive its stupendous glory."
Bahá'u'lláh, Iqan

In this most resplendent Dispensation, however, this most mighty Sovereignty, a number of illumined divines, of men of consummate learning, of doctors of mature wisdom, have attained unto His Court, drunk the cup of His divine Presence, and been invested with the honour of His most excellent favour. They have renounced, for the sake of the Beloved, the world and all that is therein. We <p223> will mention the names of some of them, that perchance it may strengthen the faint-hearted, and encourage the timorous.

Among them was Mulla Husayn, who became the recipient of the effulgent glory of the Sun of divine Revelation. But for him, God would not have been established upon the seat of His mercy, nor ascended the throne of eternal glory. Among them also was Siyyid Yahya, that unique and peerless figure of his age,

 Mulla Muhammad Aliy-i-Zanjani
 Mulla Aliy-i-Bastami
 Mulla Sa'id-i-Barfurushi
 Mulla Ni'matu'llah-i-Mazindarani
 Mulla Yusuf-i-Ardibili
 Mulla Mihdiy-i-Khu'i
 Siyyid Husayn-i-Turshizi
 Mulla Mihdiy-i-Kandi
 Mulla Baqir
 Mulla Abdu'l-Khaliq-i-Yazdi
 Mulla Aliy-i-Baraqani

and others, well nigh four hundred in number, whose names are all inscribed upon the "Guarded Tablet" of God.

	All these were guided by the light of that Sun of divine Revelation, confessed and acknowledged His truth. Such was their faith, that most of them renounced their substance and kindred, and <p224> cleaved to the good-pleasure of the All-Glorious. They laid down their lives for their Well-Beloved, and surrendered their all in His path. Their breasts were made targets for the darts of the enemy, and their heads adorned the spears of the infidel. No land remained which did not drink the blood of these embodiments of detachment, and no sword that did not bruise their necks. Their deeds, alone, testify to the truth of their words. Doth not the testimony of these holy souls, who have so gloriously risen to offer up their lives for their Beloved that the whole world marvelled at the manner of their sacrifice, suffice the people of this day?
Bahá'u'lláh, Kitab-i-Iqan

The mind is bewildered at their deeds, and the soul marvelleth at their fortitude and bodily endurance. Or is the testimony of these faithless souls who breathe naught but the breath of selfish desire, and who lie imprisoned in the cage of their idle fancies, acceptable? Like the bats of darkness, they lift not their heads from their couch except to pursue the transient things of the world, and find no rest by night except as they labour to advance the aims of their sordid life. Immersed in their selfish schemes, they are oblivious of the divine Decree. In the day-time they strive with all their soul after worldly benefits, and in the night-season their sole occupation is to gratify their carnal desires. By what law or standard could men be justified in cleaving to the denials of such petty-minded souls, and in ignoring the faith of them that have renounced, for the sake of the good-pleasure of God, their life, and substance, their fame and renown, their reputation and honour?
Were not the happenings of the life of the "Prince of Martyrs"[1] regarded as the greatest of all events, as the supreme evidence of his truth? Did not the people of old declare those happenings to be unprecedented? Did they not maintain that no manifestation of truth hath ever evinced such constancy, such conspicuous glory? And yet, that episode of his life, commencing as it did in the morning, was brought to a close by the middle of the same day, whereas, these holy lights have, for eighteen years, heroically endured the showers of afflictions which, from every side, have rained upon them. With what love, what devotion, what exultation and holy rapture, they sacrificed their lives in the path of the All-Glorious! To the truth of this all witness. And yet, how can they belittle this Revelation? Hath any age witnessed such momentous happenings? If these companions be not the true strivers after God, who else could be called by this name? Have these companions been seekers after power or glory? Have they ever yearned for riches? Have they cherished any desire except the good-pleasure of God? If these companions, with all their marvellous testimonies and wondrous works, be false, who then is worthy to claim for himself the truth? I swear by God! Their very deeds are a sufficient testimony, and an irrefutable proof unto all the peoples of the earth, were men to ponder in their hearts the mysteries <p227> of divine Revelation.
Bahá'u'lláh, Kitab-i-Iqan

The death of the Báb brought to an end the first, the bloodiest, and the most turbulent stage of the Heroic Age of the Bahá'í Dispensation. It also ushered in a new phase in the life of Bahá'u'lláh.
As a disciple of the Báb, Bahá'u'lláh had been imprisoned in Tihràn for assisting the Bábis held captive in Qazvin and had freed Tàhirih from detention and vigilantly protected her. At Badasht He had steered the course of the conference and had wisely handled the volatile situation Tàhirih's impetuosity created. At the fort of Shaykh Tabarsi He had counselled and supported the Bábis and engineered Quddus's release from captivity as well as his arrival at the fort. In Amul, where the clergy had clamoured for the death of His companions Bahá'u'lláh had magnanimously offered Himself as a substitute and endured the bastinado. These acts, Nabil says, "are but a few instances that eloquently testify to the unique position which He occupied as the prime Mover of the forces which were destined to reshape the face of His native land. It was He who had released these forces, who steered their course, harmonised their action, and brought them finally to their highest consummation in the Cause He Himself was destined at a later time to reveal."
Tihran
Arrest and Imprisonment
Shortly after the execution of the Báb, Mírzá Taqi Khán, the
prime minister, sought a meeting with Bahá'u'lláh. The prime
minister opened the interview by asserting that, were it not for
Bahá'u'lláh's support and assistance, the Bábis at Fort Shaykh Tabarsi would not have been able to resist the imperial government's forces for so long. As convinced as he was of Bahá'u'lláh's complicity, he admitted he had no evidence. Mirza Taqi Khàn expressed his regret that the government should be deprived of the services of such a resourceful person as Bahá'u'lláh and declared his intention of securing from the Shàh Bahá'u'lláh's appointment as Head of the Court (Amir-i-Divan) upon the Shah's return from a journey to Isfáhán. The prime minister also diplomatically suggested that it would be timely for Bahá'u'lláh to leave for a while. Bahá'u'lláh courteously refused to accept the position but advised Mirza Taqi Khan of His desire to visit the holy cities of Karbilà and Najaf in 'Iràq. A few days later Bahá'u'lláh left for Karbila, arriving on 28 August 1851. While there, Shoghi Effendi says, He was engaged in "spreading, with that same enthusiasm and ability that had distinguished His earlier exertions in Mazindaràn, the teachings of His departed Leader, in safeguarding the interests of His Faith, in reviving the
zeal of its grief-stricken followers, and in organizing the forces of its scattered and bewildered adherents."
While Bahá'u'lláh was in Karbilà, the young Nàsiri'd-Din Shah, jealous and fearful of Mirza Taqi Khàn's rising power, dismissed him and ordered his execution. The new prime minister, Mirza Aqa Khan-i-Nuri, whose cousin had married an elder brother of Bahá'u'lláh, hoped to effect a reconciliation between the government and Bahá'u'lláh, Whom he recognized as the most capable of the Báb's followers. Thus he wrote to Bahá'u'lláh, asking Him to return to Tihràn. However, Bahá'u'lláh had already decided to return of His own accord.
Shortly after Bahá'u'lláh's arrival in Tihran, three Babi youths, obsessed by the tragedy of the Báb's martyrdom and driven by their despair to avenge His death, attempted to assassinate the Shàh on 15 August 1852. The event engulfed the Babi community in what Shoghi Effendi terms "a fresh calamity, unprecedented in its gravity, disgraceful in its character, and devastating in its immediate consequences."
At the time, Bahá'u'lláh was staying in Afchih, outside of Tihràn, as the prime minister's guest. Mirza Áqá Khan sent word of the storm about to break and referred to the venomous attacks on Bahá'u'lláh made by the Shah's mother, who accused Bahá'u'lláh of being the chief instigator of the plot to murder her son. Friends offered to hide Him until the danger passed but Bahá'u'lláh refused and rode the next day with calm and confidence toward the imperial army's headquarters. News of His movements was conveyed to the Shàh, who, greatly amazed at Bahá'u'lláh's action, ordered His immediate arrest. Bahá'u'lláh was taken to the notorious Siyah-Chàl the "Black Pit" of Tihran, a subterranean dungeon in which He was imprisoned for four months. Along the way He was stoned, ridiculed, and stripped of His outer garments.

"In Tihrán We were twice imprisoned as a result of Our 585 having risen to defend the cause of the innocent against a ruthless oppressor. The first confinement to which We were subjected followed the slaying of Mullá Taqíy-i-Qazvíní, and was occasioned by the assistance We were moved to extend to those upon whom a severe punishment had been undeservedly inflicted. Our second imprisonment, infinitely more severe, was precipitated by the attempt which irresponsible followers of the Faith made on the life of the Sháh.

+ That event led to Our banishment to Baghdad. Soon after Our arrival, We betook Ourself to the mountains of Kurdistán, where We led for a time a life of complete solitude. We sought shelter upon the summit of a remote mountain which lay at some three days' distance from the nearest human habitation. The comforts of life were completely lacking. We remained entirely isolated from Our fellow men until a certain Shaykh Ismá'íl discovered Our abode and brought Us the food We needed.
'Upon Our return to Baghdád, We found, to Our great astonishment, that the Cause of the Báb had been sorely neglected, that its influence had waned, that its very name had almost sunk into oblivion. We arose to revive His Cause and to save it from decay and corruption. At the time when ear and perplexity had taken fast hold of Our companions, We reasserted, with fearlessness and determination, its essential verities, and summoned all those who had become lukewarm to espouse with enthusiasm the Faith they had so grievously neglected. We sent forth Our appeal to the peoples of the world, and invited them to fix their gaze upon the light of His Revelation.
"After Our departure from Adrianople, a discussion arose among the government officials in Constantinople as to whether We and Our companions should not be thrown into the sea. The report of such a discussion reached Persia, and gave rise to a rumour that We had actually suffered that fate. In Khurásán particularly, Our friends were greatly perturbed. Mírzá Ahmad-i-Azghandí, as soon as he was informed of this news, was reported to have asserted that under no circumstances could he credit such a rumour. 'The Revelation of the Báb,' he said, 'must, if this be true, be regarded as utterly devoid of foundation.' The news of Our safe arrival 586 in the prison-city of 'Akká rejoiced the hearts of Our friends, deepened the admiration of the believers of Khurásán for the faith of Mírzá Ahmad, and increased their confidence him.
"From Our Most Great Prison We were moved to address to the several rulers and crowned heads of the world Epistles in which We summoned them to arise and embrace the Cause of God. To the Sháh of Persia We sent Our messenger Badí, into whose hands We entrusted the Tablet. It was he who raised it aloft before the eyes of the multitude and, with uplifted voice, appealed to his sovereign to heed the words that Tablet contained. The rest of the Epistles likewise reached their destination. To the Tablet We addressed to the Emperor of France, an answer was received from his minister, the original of which is now in the possession of the Most Great Branch. 2 To him We addressed these words: 'Bid the high priest, O Monarch of France, to cease ringing his bells, for, lo! the Most Great Bell, which the hands of the will of the Lord thy God are ringing, is made manifest in the person of His chosen One.' The Epistle We addressed to the Czar of Russia, alone failed to reach it destination. Other Tablets, however, have reached him, and that Epistle will eventually be delivered into his hands.
"Be thankful to God for having enabled you to recognise His Cause. Whoever has received this blessing must, prior to his acceptance, have performed some deed which, though he himself was unaware of its character, was ordained by God as a means whereby he has been guided to find and embrace the Truth. As to those who have remained deprived of such a blessing, their acts alone have hindered them from recognising the truth of this Revelation. We cherish the hope that you, who have attained to this light, will exert your utmost to banish the darkness of superstition and unbelief from the midst of the people. May your deeds proclaim your faith and enable you to lead the erring into the paths of eternal salvation. The memory of this night will never be forgotten. May it never be effaced by the passage of time, and may its mention linger for ever on the lips of men."
Dawnbreakers

At the time when His Majesty the Shah, may God, his Lord, the Most Merciful, aid him through His strengthening grace, was planning a journey to Isfahan, this Wronged One, having obtained his permission, visited the holy and luminous resting-places of the Imams, may the blessings of God be upon them! Upon Our return, We proceeded to Lavasan on account of the excessive heat prevailing in the capital. Following Our departure, there occurred the attempt upon the life of His Majesty, may God, exalted and glorified be He, assist him. Those days were troublous days, and the fires of hatred burned high. Many were arrested, among them this Wronged One. By the righteousness of God! We were in no wise connected with that evil deed, and Our innocence was indisputably established by the tribunals. Nevertheless, they apprehended Us, and from Niyavaran, which was then the residence of His Majesty, conducted Us, on foot and in chains, with bared head and bare feet, to the dungeon of Tihran. A brutal man, accompanying Us on horseback, snatched off Our hat, whilst We were being hurried along by a troop of executioners and officials. We were consigned for four months to a place foul beyond comparison. As to the dungeon in which this Wronged One and others similarly wronged were confined, a dark and narrow pit were preferable. Upon Our arrival We were first conducted along a pitch-black corridor, from whence We descended <p21> three steep flights of stairs to the place of confinement assigned to Us. The dungeon was wrapped in thick darkness, and Our fellow prisoners numbered nearly a hundred and fifty souls: thieves, assassins and highwaymen. Though crowded, it had no other outlet than the passage by which We entered. No pen can depict that place, nor any tongue describe its loathsome smell. Most of these men had neither clothes nor bedding to lie on. God alone knoweth what befell Us in that most foul-smelling and gloomy place! 
Day and night, while confined in that dungeon, We meditated upon the deeds, the condition, and the conduct of the Bábis, wondering what could have led a people so high-minded, so noble, and of such intelligence, to perpetrate such an audacious and outrageous act against the person of His Majesty. This Wronged One, thereupon, decided to arise, after His release from prison, and undertake, with the utmost vigour, the task of regenerating this people.
Epistle to the Son of the Wolf

O Shaykh!(1) That which hath touched this Wronged One is beyond compare or equal. We have borne it all with the utmost willingness and resignation, so that the souls of men may be edified, and the Word of God be exalted. While confined in the prison of the Land of Mim (Mazindaran) We were one day delivered into the hands of the divines. Thou canst well imagine what befell Us. Shouldst thou at some time happen to visit the dungeon of His Majesty the Shah, ask the director and chief jailer to show thee those two chains, one of which is known as Qara-Guhar, and the other as Salasil(2). I swear by the Daystar of Justice that for four months this Wronged One was tormented and chained by one or the other of them. "My grief exceedeth all the woes to which Jacob gave vent, and all the afflictions of Job are but a part of My sorrows!"
1. Shaykh Muhammad Taqiy-i-Najafi, a Shi'ah divine of Isfahan and bitter opponent of the Bábi and Bahá'í Faiths.
2. One of the two chains was placed around Bahá'u'lláh's neck at all times. They cut into His flesh and were so heavy that they had to be supported by a special wooden fork. The heaviest, Qara-Guhar, weighed 112 pounds (51 kilograms).
Epistle to the Son of the Wolf

All this generation could offer Us were wounds from its darts, and the only cup it proffered to Our lips was the cup of its venom. On our neck We still bear the scar of chains, and upon Our body are imprinted the evidences of an unyielding cruelty.
Kitab-i-Iqan

Events in the Siyah-Chal
From His own lips I have often heard the following account: "All those who were struck down by the storm that raged during that memorable year in Tihran were Our fellow-prisoners in the Siyah-Chal, where We were confined. We were all huddled together in one cell, our feet in stocks, and around our necks fastened the most galling of chains. The air we breathed was laden with the foulest impurities, while the floor on which <p632> we sat was covered with filth and infested with vermin. No ray of light was allowed to penetrate that pestilential dungeon or to warm its icy-coldness. We were placed in two rows, each facing the other. We had taught them to repeat certain verses which, every night, they chanted with extreme fervour. 'God is sufficient unto me; He verily is the All-sufficing!' one row would intone, while the other would reply: 'In Him let the trusting trust.' The chorus of these gladsome voices would continue to peal out until the early hours of the morning. Their reverberation would fill the dungeon, and, piercing its massive walls, would reach the ears of Nasiri'd-Din Shah, whose palace was not far distant from the place where we were imprisoned. 'What means this sound?' he was reported to have exclaimed. 'It is the anthem the Bábis are intoning in their prison,' they replied. The Shah made no further remarks, nor did he attempt to restrain the enthusiasm his prisoners, despite the horrors of their confinement, continued to display.
"One day, there was brought to Our prison a tray of roasted meat, which they informed Us the Shah had ordered to be distributed among the prisoners. 'The Shah,' We were told, 'faithful to a vow he made, has chosen this day to offer to you all this lamb in fulfilment of his pledge.' A deep silence fell upon Our companions, who expected Us to make answer on their behalf. 'We return this gift to you,' We replied; 'we can well dispense with this offer.' The answer We made would have greatly irritated the guards had they not been eager to devour the food we had refused to touch. Despite the hunger with which Our companions were afflicted, only one among them, a certain Mirza Husayn-i-Matavalliy-i-Qumi, showed any desire to eat of the food the sovereign had chosen to spread before us. With a fortitude that was truly heroic, Our fellow-prisoners submitted, without a murmur, to endure the piteous plight to which they were reduced. Praise of God, instead of complaint of the treatment meted out to them by the Shah, fell unceasingly from their lips--praise with which they sought to beguile the hardships of a cruel captivity.
"Every day Our gaolers, entering Our cell, would call the name of one of Our companions, bidding him arise and follow <p633> them to the foot of the gallows. With what eagerness would the owner of that name respond to that solemn call! Relieved of his chains, he would spring to his feet and, in a state of uncontrollable delight, would approach and embrace Us. We would seek to comfort him with the assurance of an everlasting life in the world beyond, and, filling his heart with hope and joy, would send him forth to win the crown of glory. He would embrace, in turn, the rest of his fellow-prisoners and then proceed to die as dauntlessly as he had lived. Soon after the martyrdom of each of these companions, We would be informed by the executioner, who had grown to be friendly to Us, of the circumstances of the death of his victim, and of the joy with which he had endured his sufferings to the very end.
"We were awakened one night, ere break of day, by Mirza Abdu'l-Vahhab-i-Shirazi, who was bound with Us to the same chains. He had left Kazimayn and followed Us to Tihran, where he was arrested and thrown into prison. He asked Us whether We were awake, and proceeded to relate to Us his dream. 'I have this night,' he said, 'been soaring into a space of infinite vastness and beauty. I seemed to be uplifted on wings that carried me wherever I desired to go. A feeling of rapturous delight filled my soul. I flew in the midst of that immensity with a swiftness and ease that I cannot describe.' 'To-day,' We replied, 'it will be your turn to sacrifice yourself for this Cause. May you remain firm and steadfast to the end. You will then find yourself soaring in that same limitless space of which you dreamed, traversing with the same ease and swiftness the realm of immortal sovereignty, and gazing with that same rapture upon the Infinite Horizon.'
"That morning saw the gaoler again enter Our cell and call out the name of Abdu'l-Vahhab. Throwing off his chains, he sprang to his feet, embraced each of his fellow-prisoners, and, taking Us into his arms, pressed Us lovingly to his heart. That moment We discovered that he had no shoes to wear We gave him Our own, and, speaking a last word of encouragement and cheer, sent him forth to the scene of his martyrdom. Later on, his executioner came to Us, praising in glowing language the spirit which that youth had shown. <p634> How thankful We were to God for this testimony which the executioner himself had given!"
Dawnbreakers

The Intimation
A Revelation, hailed as the promise and crowning glory of past ages and centuries, as the consummation of all the Dispensations within the Adamic Cycle, inaugurating an era of at least a thousand years' duration, and a cycle destined to last no less than five thousand centuries, signalizing the end of the Prophetic Era and the beginning of the Era of Fulfilment, unsurpassed alike in the duration of its Author's ministry and the fecundity and splendour of His mission—such a Revelation was, as already noted, born amidst the darkness of a subterranean dungeon in Tihrán—an abominable pit that had once served as a reservoir of water for one of the public baths of the city. 101 Wrapped in its stygian gloom, breathing its fetid air, numbed by its humid and icy atmosphere, His feet in stocks, His neck weighed down by a mighty chain, surrounded by criminals and miscreants of the worst order, oppressed by the consciousness of the terrible blot that had stained the fair name of His beloved Faith, painfully aware of the dire distress that had overtaken its champions, and of the grave dangers that faced the remnant of its followers—at so critical an hour and under such appalling circumstances the "Most Great Spirit," as designated by Himself, and symbolized in the Zoroastrian, the Mosaic, the Christian, and Muhammadan Dispensations by the Sacred Fire, the Burning Bush, the Dove and the Angel Gabriel respectively, descended upon, and revealed itself, personated by a "Maiden," to the agonized soul of Bahá'u'lláh.
God Passes By

During the days I lay in the prison of Tihran, though the galling weight of the chains and the stench-filled air allowed Me but little sleep, still in those infrequent moments of slumber I felt as if something flowed from the crown of My head over My breast, even as a mighty torrent that precipitateth itself upon the earth from the summit of a lofty mountain. Every limb of My body would, as a result, be set afire. At such moments My tongue recited what no man could bear to hear.
Epistle to the Son of the Wolf

While engulfed in tribulations I heard a most wondrous, most sweet voice, calling above My head. Turning My face, I beheld a Maiden - the embodiment of the remembrance of My Lord - suspended in the air before Me. So rejoiced was she in her very soul that her countenance shone with the ornament of the good-pleasure of God, and her cheeks glowed with the brightness of the All-Merciful. Betwixt earth and heaven she was raising a call which captivated the hearts and minds of men. She was imparting to both my inward and outward being tidings which rejoiced my soul, and the souls of God's honoured servants. Pointing with her finger unto My head, she addressed all who are in heaven and all who are on earth, saying "By God! This is the Best-Beloved of the worlds, and yet ye comprehend not, and the power of His sovereignty within you, could ye but understand. This is the Mystery of God and His Treasure, the Cause of God and His glory unto all who are in the kingdoms of Revelation and creation, if ye be of them that perceive.
Surih of the Temple

One night, in a dream, these exalted words were heard on every side: "Verily, We shall render Thee victorious by Thyself and by Thy Pen. Grieve Thou not for that which hath befallen Thee, neither be Thou afraid, for Thou art in safety. Erelong will God raise up the treasures of the earth -- men who will aid Thee through Thyself and through Thy Name, wherewith God hath revived the hearts of such as have recognized Him."
ESW

"O King! I was but a man like others, asleep upon My couch, when lo, the breezes of the All-Glorious were wafted over Me, and taught Me the knowledge of all that hath been. This thing is not from Me, but from One Who is Almighty and All-Knowing. And He bade Me lift up My voice between earth and heaven, and for this there befell Me what hath caused the tears of every man of understanding to flow. The learning current amongst men I studied not; their schools I entered not. Ask of the city wherein I dwelt, that thou mayest be well assured that I am not of them who speak falsely. This is but a leaf which the winds of the will of thy Lord, the Almighty, <p12> the All-Praised, have stirred. Can it be still when the tempestuous winds are blowing? Nay, by Him Who is the Lord of all Names and Attributes! They move it as they list. The evanescent is as nothing before Him Who is the Ever-Abiding. His all-compelling summons hath reached Me, and caused Me to speak His praise amidst all people. I was indeed as one dead when His behest was uttered. The hand of the will of thy Lord, the Compassionate, the Merciful, transformed Me."
ESW

O my ill-wishers! The Day Star of eternal Guidance beareth me witness: Had it been in my power, I would have, under no circumstances, consented to distinguish myself amongst men, for the Name I bear utterly disdaineth to associate itself with this generation whose tongues are sullied and whose hearts are false. And whenever I chose to hold my peace and be still, lo, the voice of the Holy Ghost, standing on my right hand, aroused me, and the Supreme Spirit appeared before my face, and Gabriel overshadowed me, and the Spirit of Glory stirred within my bosom, bidding me arise and break my silence. If your hearing be purged and your ears be attentive, ye will assuredly perceive that every limb of my body, nay all the atoms of my being, proclaim and bear witness to this call: "God, besides Whom is none other God, and He, Whose beauty is now manifest, is the reflection of His glory unto all that are in heaven and on earth."
Gleanings

That so brief a span," Bahá'u'lláh Himself explains, "should have separated this most mighty and wondrous Revelation from Mine own previous Manifestation, is a secret that no man can unravel and a mystery such as no mind can fathom. Its duration had been foreordained, and no man shall ever discover its reason unless and until he be informed of the contents of My Hidden Book.
World Order of Bahá'u'lláh, Shoghi Effendi

Prayer from the Siyah Chal
My God, my Master, my Highest Hope, and the Goal of my desire! Thou seest and hearest the sighing of this wronged One, from this darksome well which the vain imaginations of Thine adversaries have built, and from this blind pit which the idle fancies of the wicked among Thy creatures have digged. By Thy Beauty, O Thou Whose glory is uncovered to the face of men! I am not impatient in the troubles that touch me in my love for Thee, neither in the adversities which I suffer in Thy path. Nay, I have, by Thy power, chosen them for mine own self, and I glory in them amongst such of Thy creatures as enjoy near access to Thee, and those of Thy servants that are wholly devoted to Thy Self.
I beseech Thee, however, O Thou Who art the Enlightener of the world and the Lord of the nations, at this very moment when, with the hands of hope, I have clung to the hem of the raiment of Thy mercy and Thy bounty, to forgive Thy servants who have soared in the atmosphere of Thy nearness, and set their faces towards the splendours of the light of Thy countenance, and turned unto the horizon of Thy good pleasure, and approached the ocean of Thy mercy, and all their lives long have spoken forth Thy praise, and have been inflamed with the fire of their love for Thee. Do Thou ordain for them, O Lord my God, both before and after their death, what becometh the loftiness of Thy bounty and the excellence of Thy loving-kindness.
Prayers and Meditations

Prayers and Meditations of Praise and Gratitude
 Praised be Thou, O my God! How can I thank Thee for having singled me out and chosen me above all Thy servants to reveal Thee, at a time when all had turned away from Thy beauty! I testify, O my God, that if I were given a thousand lives by Thee, and offered them up all in Thy path, I would still have failed to repay the least of the gifts which, by Thy grace, Thou hast bestowed upon me. 21
I lay asleep on the bed of self when lo, Thou didst waken me with the divine accents of Thy voice, and didst unveil to me Thy beauty, and didst enable me to listen to Thine utterances, and to recognize Thy Self, and to speak forth Thy praise, and to extol Thy virtues, and to be steadfast in Thy love. Finally I fell a captive into the hands of the wayward among Thy servants.
Thou beholdest, therefore, the exile which I suffer in Thy days, and art aware of my vehement longing to look upon Thy face, and of mine irrepressible yearnings to enter the court of Thy glory, and of the stirrings of my heart under the influences of the winds of Thy mercy.
I entreat Thee, O Thou Who art the Ruler of the kingdoms of creation and the Author of all names, to write down my name with the names of them who, from eternity, have circled round the Tabernacle of Thy majesty, and clung to the hem of Thy loving-kindness, and held fast the cord of Thy tender mercy.
Thou art, in truth, the Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting. 
Prayers and Meditations

Glorified art Thou, O Lord my God! Look Thou upon this wronged one, who hath been sorely afflicted by the oppressors among Thy creatures and the infidels among Thine enemies, though he himself hath refused to breathe a single breath but by Thy leave and at Thy bidding. I lay asleep on my couch, O my God, when lo, the gentle winds of Thy grace and Thy loving-kindness passed over me, and wakened me through the power of Thy sovereignty and Thy gifts, and bade me arise before Thy servants, and speak forth Thy praise, and glorify Thy word. Thereupon most of Thy people reviled me. I swear by Thy glory, O my God! I never thought that they would show forth such deeds, aware as I am that Thou hast Thyself announced this Revelation unto them in the Scrolls of Thy commandment and the Tablets of Thy decree, and hast covenanted with them concerning this youth in every word sent down by Thee unto Thy creatures and Thy people.
I am bewildered, therefore, O my God, and know not how to act toward them. Every time I hold my peace, and cease to extol Thy wondrous virtues, Thy Spirit impelleth me to cry out before all who are in Thy heaven and on Thy earth; and every time I am still, the breaths wafted from the right hand of Thy will and purpose pass over me, and stir me up, and I find myself to be as a leaf which lieth at the mercy of the winds of Thy decree, and is carried away whithersoever Thou dost permit or command it. Every man of insight who considereth what hath been revealed by me, will be persuaded that Thy Cause is not in my hands, but in Thy hands, and will recognize that the reins of power are held not in my grasp but in Thy grasp, and are subject to Thy sovereign might. And yet, Thou seest, O my God, how the inhabitants of Thy realm have arrayed themselves against me, and inflict upon me every moment of my life what causeth the realities of Thy chosen ones and trusted ones to tremble.
I entreat Thee, therefore, O my God, by Thy Name through which Thou hast guided Thy lovers to the living waters of Thy grace and Thy favours, and attracted them that long for Thee to the Paradise of Thy nearness and Thy presence, to open the eyes of Thy people that they may recognize in this Revelation the manifestation of Thy transcendent unity, and the dawning of the lights of Thy countenance and Thy beauty. Cleanse them, then, O my God, from all idle fancies and vain imaginations, that they may inhale the fragrances of sanctity from the robe of Thy Revelation and Thy commandment, that haply they may cease to inflict upon me what will deprive their souls of the fragrances of the manifold tokens of Thy mercy, that are wafted in the days of Him Who is the Manifestation of Thyself, and the Day-Spring of Thy Cause, and that they may not perpetrate what will call down Thy wrath and anger. 
Prayers and Meditations

Ever since the day Thou didst create me at Thy bidding, O my God, and didst arouse me through the gentle winds of Thy tender mercies, I have refused to turn to any one except Thee, and have, through the power of Thy sovereignty and Thy might, arisen to face Thine enemies, and have summoned all mankind unto the shores of the ocean of Thy oneness and the heaven of Thine all-glorious unity. I have sought, all my days, not to guard myself from the mischief of the rebellious among Thy creatures, but rather to exalt Thy name amidst Thy people. I have, thereby, suffered what none of Thy creatures hath suffered.
How many the days, O my God, which I have spent in utter loneliness with the transgressors amongst Thy servants, and how many the nights, O my Best-Beloved, during which I lay a captive in the hands of the wayward amidst Thy creatures! In the midst of my troubles and tribulations I have continued to celebrate Thy praise before all who are in Thy heaven and on Thy earth, and have not ceased to extol Thy wondrous glory in the kingdoms of Thy Revelation and of Thy creation, though all that I have been capable of showing forth hath fallen short of the greatness and the majesty of Thy oneness, and is unworthy of Thine exaltation and of Thine omnipotence. 
Prayers and Meditations 179

Lauded be Thy name, O my God! I am so carried away by the breezes blowing from Thy presence that I have forgotten my self and all that I possess. This is but a sign of the wonders of Thy grace and bountiful favours vouchsafed unto me. I give praise to Thee, O my God, that Thou hast chosen me out of all Thy creatures, and made me to be the Day-Spring of Thy strength and the Manifestation of Thy might, and empowered me to reveal such of Thy signs and such tokens of Thy majesty and power as none, whether in Thy heaven or on Thy earth, can produce.
I beseech Thee, O my Lord, by Thy most effulgent Name, to acquaint my people with the things Thou didst destine for them. Do Thou, then, preserve them within the stronghold of Thy guardianship and the tabernacle of Thine unerring protection, lest through them may appear what will divide Thy servants. Assemble them, O my Lord, on the shores of this Ocean, every drop of which proclaimeth Thee to be God, besides Whom there is none other God, the All-Glorious, the All-Wise. 47
Uncover before them, O my Lord, the majesty of Thy Cause, lest they be led to doubt Thy sovereignty and the power of Thy might. I swear by Thy glory, O Thou Who art the Beloved of the worlds! Had they been aware of Thy power they would of a certainty have refused to utter what Thou didst not ordain for them in the heaven of Thy will.
Inspire them, O my Lord, with a sense of their own powerlessness before Him Who is the Manifestation of Thy Self, and teach them to recognize the poverty of their own nature in the face of the manifold tokens of Thy self-sufficiency and riches, that they may gather together round Thy Cause, and cling to the hem of Thy mercy, and cleave to the cord of the good-pleasure of Thy will.
Thou art the Lord of the worlds, and of all those who show mercy, art the Most Merciful. 
Prayers and Meditations 36

Release and Exile
Bahá'u'lláh was released from prison in December 1852 and was immediately notified of the Shah's decree banishing Him from Persia. While He was in prison, His wealth had been confiscated,
and His home and possessions had been pillaged. Given no more than one month to recover from the debilitating effects of His imprisonment in the Siyah-Chal and to leave for a land of His choosing, Bahá'u'lláh declined the protection the government of Russia extended through its minister, Prince Dolgorukov, and chose instead to proceed to Baghdad, 'Iraq.
Bahá'u'lláh and His family left Tihràn on 12 January 1853, escorted by an officer of the Imperial bodyguard and an official
representing the Russian Legation. The exiles travelled on horseback over the snow-covered mountains of western Persia, poorly equipped for the bitter cold of winter and the hardships of such a demanding journey.

In the days, when this Wronged One was sore-afflicted in prison, the minister of the highly esteemed government (of Russia)—may God, glorified and exalted be He, assist him!—exerted his utmost endeavour to compass My deliverance. Several times permission for My release was granted. Some of the 'ulamás of the city, however, would prevent it. Finally, My freedom was gained through the solicitude and the endeavour of His Excellency the Minister. …His Imperial Majesty, the Most Great Emperor(5)—may God, exalted and glorified be He, assist him!—extended to Me for the sake of God his protection—a protection which has excited the envy and enmity of the foolish ones of the earth.
5. Czar Alexander II of Russia.
God Passes By

In a prayer revealed by Him at that time, Bahá'u'lláh, expatiating 109 upon the woes and trials He had endured in the Síyáh-Chál, thus bears witness to the hardships undergone in the course of that "terrible journey": "My God, My Master, My Desire!… Thou hast created this atom of dust through the consummate power of Thy might, and nurtured Him with Thine hands which none can chain up…. Thou hast destined for Him trials and tribulations which no tongue can describe, nor any of Thy Tablets adequately recount. The throat Thou didst accustom to the touch of silk Thou hast, in the end, clasped with strong chains, and the body Thou didst ease with brocades and velvets Thou hast at last subjected to the abasement of a dungeon. Thy decree hath shackled Me with unnumbered fetters, and cast about My neck chains that none can sunder. A number of years have passed during which afflictions have, like showers of mercy, rained upon Me…. How many the nights during which the weight of chains and fetters allowed Me no rest, and how numerous the days during which peace and tranquillity were denied Me, by reason of that wherewith the hands and tongues of men have afflicted Me! Both bread and water which Thou hast, through Thy all-embracing mercy, allowed unto the beasts of the field, they have, for a time, forbidden unto this servant, and the things they refused to inflict upon such as have seceded from Thy Cause, the same have they suffered to be inflicted upon Me, until, finally, Thy decree was irrevocably fixed, and Thy behest summoned this servant to depart out of Persia, accompanied by a number of frail-bodied men and children of tender age, at this time when the cold is so intense that one cannot even speak, and ice and snow so abundant that it is impossible to move."
God Passes By