CHAPTER XXI THE SEVEN MARTYRS OF TIHRÁN |
|
1 | THE news of the tragic fate which had befallen the heroes of Tabarsí brought immeasurable sorrow to the heart of the Báb. Confined it His prison-castle of Chihríq, severed from the little band of His struggling disciples, He watched with keen anxiety the progress of their labours and prayed with unremitting zeal for their victory. How great was His sorrow when, in the early days of Sha'bán in the year 1265 A.H., [1] He came to learn of the trials that had beset their path, of the agony they had suffered, of the betrayal to which an exasperated enemy had felt compelled to resort, and of the abominable butchery with which their career had ended. |
2 | "The Báb was heart-broken," His amanuensis, Siyyid Husayn-i-'Aziz, subsequently related, "at the receipt of this unexpected intelligence. He was crushed with grief, a grief that stilled His voice and silenced His pen. For nine days He refused to meet any of His friends. I myself, though His close and constant attendant, was refused admittance. Whatever meat or drink we offered Him, He was disinclined to touch. Tears rained continually from His eyes, and expressions of anguish dropped unceasingly from His lips. I could hear Him, from behind the curtain, give vent to His feelings of sadness as He communed, in the privacy of His cell, with His Beloved. I attempted to jot down the effusions of His sorrow as they poured forth from His wounded heart. Suspecting that I was attempting to preserve the lamentations He uttered, He bade me destroy whatever I had recorded. Nothing remains of the moans and cries with which that heavy-laden heart sought to relieve itself of the pangs that had seized it. For a period of five months He languished, immersed in an ocean of despondency and sorrow." |
3 |
With the advent of Muharram in the year 1266 A.H.,
[2]
the Báb again resumed the work He had been compelled to
interrupt. The first page He wrote was dedicated to the
memory of Mullá |
4 |
No sooner had He completed His eulogies of those who
had immortalised their names in the defence of the fort,
than He summoned, on the day of Ashura,
[3]
Mullá Adi-Guzal,
[4]
one of the believers of Marághih, who for the last
two months had been acting as His attendant instead of
Siyyid Hasan, the brother of Siyyid Husayn-i-'Aziz. He
affectionately received him, bestowed upon him the name
Sáyyah, entrusted to his care the visiting Tablets He had
revealed in memory of the martyrs of Tabarsí, and bade him
perform, on His behalf, a pilgrimage to that spot. "Arise,"
He urged him, "and with complete detachment proceed, in
the guise of a traveller, to Mazindarán, and there visit, on
My behalf, the spot which enshrines the bodies of those immortals
who, with their blood, have sealed their faith in My
Cause. As you approach the precincts of that hallowed
ground, put off your shoes and, bowing your head in reverence
to their memory, invoke their names and prayerfully
make the circuit of their shrine. Bring back to Me, as a
remembrance of your visit, a handful of that holy earth which
covers the remains of My beloved ones, Quddús and Mullá
|
5 |
Faithful to the instructions he had received, Sáyyah set
out on his pilgrimage to Mazindarán. He reached his destination
on the first day of Rabí'u'l-Avval in the year 1266
A.H.,
[5]
and by the ninth day of that same month,
[6]
the first
anniversary of the martyrdom of Mullá |
6 |
I have heard Aqáy-i-Kalím, who received Sáyyah at the
entrance of Bahá'u'lláh's home in Tihrán, relate the following:
"It was the depth of winter when Sáyyah, returning from his
pilgrimage, came to visit Bahá'u'lláh. Despite the cold and
snow of a rigorous winter, he appeared attired in the garb
of a dervish, poorly clad, barefooted, and dishevelled. His
heart was set afire with the flame that pilgrimage had kindled.
No sooner had Siyyid |
7 | Sáyyah tarried a few days in that home. He was, however, unable to perceive, as did Vahíd, the nature of that power which lay latent in his Host. Though himself the recipient of the utmost favour from Bahá'u'lláh, he failed to apprehend the significance of the blessings that were being showered upon him. I have heard him recount his experiences, during his sojourn in Famagusta: "Bahá'u'lláh overwhelmed me with His kindness. As to Vahíd, notwithstanding the eminence of his position, he invariably gave me preference over himself whenever in the presence of his Host. On the day of my arrival from Mazindarán, he went so far as to kiss my feet. I was amazed at the reception accorded me in that home. Though immersed in an ocean of bounty, I failed, in those days, to appreciate the position then occupied by Bahá'u'lláh, nor was I able to suspect, however dimly, the nature of the Mission He was destined to perform." |
8 |
Ere the departure of Sáyyah from Tihrán, Bahá'u'lláh
entrusted him with an epistle, the text of which He had
dictated to Mírzá |
9 | At this stage of my narrative, when I have already recounted the outstanding events that occurred in the course of the year 1265 A.H., [11] I am reminded that that very year witnessed the most significant event in my own life, an event which marked my spiritual rebirth, my deliverance from the fetters of the past, and my acceptance of the message of this Revelation. I seek the indulgence of the reader if I dwell too long on the circumstances of my early life, and recount with too great detail the events that led to my conversion. My father belonged to the tribe of Tahiri, who led a nomadic life in the province of Khurásán. His name was Ghulam `Alí, son of Husayn-i-'Arab. He married the daughter of Kalb-'Ali, and by her had three sons and three daughters. I was his second son, and was given the name of Yar-Muhammad. I was born on the eighteenth of Safar in the year 1247 A.H., [12] in the village of Zarand. I was a shepherd by profession, and was given in my early days a most rudimentary education. I longed to devote more time to my studies, but was unable to do so, owing to the exigencies of my situation. I read the Qur'án with eagerness, committed several of its passages to memory, and chanted them whilst I followed my flock over the fields. I loved solitude, and watched the stars at night with delight and wonder. In the quiet of the wilderness, I recited certain prayers attributed to the Imám `Alí, the Commander of the Faithful, and, as I turned my face towards the Qiblih, [13] supplicated the Almighty to guide my steps and enable me to find the Truth. |
10 | My father oftentimes took me with him to Qum, where I became acquainted with the teachings of Islám and the ways and manners of its leaders. He was a devout follower of that Faith, and was closely associated with the ecclesiastical leaders who congregated in that city. I watched him as he prayed at the Masjid-i-Imam-Hasan and performed, with scrupulous care and extreme piety, all the rites and ceremonies prescribed by his Faith. I heard the preaching of several eminent mujtahids who had arrived from Najaf, attended their lectures, and listened to their disputations. Gradually I came to perceive their insincerity and to loathe the baseness of their character. Eager as I was to ascertain the trustworthiness of the creeds and dogmas which they strove to impose upon me, I could neither find the time nor obtain the facilities with which to satisfy my desire. I was often rebuked by my father for my temerity and restlessness. "I fear," he often remarked, "that your aversion to these mujtahids may some day involve you in great difficulties and bring upon you reproach and shame." |
11 |
I was in the village of Rubat-Karim, on a visit to my
maternal uncle, when, on the twelfth day after Naw-Rúz,
in the year 1263 A.H.,
[14]
I accidentally overheard, in the masjid
of that village, a conversation between two men which first
made me acquainted with the Revelation of the Báb. "Have
you heard," one of them remarked, "that the Siyyid-i-Báb
has been conducted to the village of Kinár-Gird and is on his
way to Tihrán?" Finding his friend ignorant of that episode,
he proceeded to relate the whole story of the Báb, giving a
detailed account of the circumstances attending His Declaration,
of His arrest in Shíráz, His departure for |
12 |
From Rubat-Karim I returned to Zarand. My father
remarked Upon my restlessness, and expressed his surprise
at my behaviour. I had lost my appetite and sleep, and was
determined to conceal the secret of my inner agitation from
my father, lest its disclosure might interfere with the eventual
realisation of my hopes. I remained in that state until a
certain Siyyid Husayn-i-Zavari'i arrived at Zarand and was
able to enlighten me on a subject which had become the
ruling passion of my life. Our acquaintance speedily ripened
into a friendship which encouraged me to share with him the
longings of my heart. To my great surprise, I found him
already enthralled by the secret of the theme which I had
begun to disclose to him. "One of my cousins," he proceeded
to relate, "Siyyid Ismá'íl-i-Zavari'í by name, convinced me
of the truth of the Message proclaimed by the Siyyid-i-Báb.
He informed me that he had several times met the Siyyid-i-Báb
in the house of the Imám-Jum'ih of |
13 |
The story which this Siyyid Husayn-i-Zavari'i related to
me served to allay my agitation. He shared with me the copy
of the "Risaliy-i-'Adliyyih" he had brought with him, the
reading of which imparted strength and refreshment to my
soul. In those days I was a pupil of a siyyid who taught me
the Qur'án and whose incapacity to enlighten me on the
tenets of his Faith became more and more evident in my
eyes. Siyyid |
14 |
While I was in Qum, my mother, my sister, and my
brother came to visit me in connection with the festival of
Naw-Rúz, and stayed with me for about a month. In the
course of their visit, I was able to enlighten my mother and
my sister about the new Revelation, and succeeded in kindling
in their hearts the love of its Author. A few days after their
return to Zarand, Siyyid Ismá'íl, whom I impatiently awaited,
arrived, and was able, in the course of his discussions with
me, to set forth in detail all that was required to win me over
completely to the Cause. He laid stress on the continuity of
Divine Revelation, asserted the fundamental oneness of the
Prophets of the past, and explained their close relationship
to the Mission of the Báb. He also disclosed the nature of
the work accomplished by Shaykh |
15 | I waited in vain for that message, and, finding that no word came from him, decided to leave for the capital. My friend Mírzá Fathu'llah subsequently followed me. He was eventually arrested and shared the fate of those who were put to death in the year 1268 A.H. [19] as a result of the attempt on the life or the Sháh. Arriving in Tihrán, I proceeded directly to the Masjid-i-Sháh, which was opposite a madrisih, [20] at the entrance of which I, later on, unexpectedly encountered Siyyid Ismá'íl-i-Zavari'í, who hastened to inform me that he had just written me the letter and was on the point of despatching it to Qum. |
16 | We were preparing ourselves to leave for Mazindarán, when the news reached us that the defenders of the fort of Tabarsí had been treacherously slaughtered and that the fort itself had been levelled with the ground. We were filled with distress at the receipt of the appalling news, and mourned the tragic fate of those who had so heroically defended their beloved Cause. One day I unexpectedly came across my maternal uncle, Naw-Ruz-'Ali, who had come on purpose to fetch me. I informed Siyyid Ismá'íl, who advised me to leave for Zarand and not to arouse further hostility on the part of those who insisted upon my return. |
17 |
On my arrival at my native village, I was able to win
over my brother to the Cause, which my mother and my
sister had already embraced. I also succeeded in inducing
my father to allow me to leave again for Tihrán. I took up
my residence in the same madrisih where I had been accommodated
on my previous visit, and there met a certain
Mullá `Abdu'l-Karím, whom, I subsequently learned, Bahá'u'lláh
had named Mírzá |
18 |
Through him I was introduced to the disciples of the
Báb, with whom I associated and from whom I obtained
fuller information regarding the teachings of the Faith.
Mírzá |
19 |
During those days I was informed that Táhirih, who,
ever since the dispersal of the gathering at Badasht, had been
living in Núr, had arrived at Tihrán and was confined in the
house of |
20 |
One day Mírzá |
21 |
On another occasion, when I visited that same house, I
on the point of entering the room that Mírzá |
22 |
One day Mírzá |
23 |
Shortly after, the stirrers-up of mischief were able to kindle
a grave turmoil in that city. Its immediate cause was the
action of a certain siyyid from Káshán, who was living in the
Madrisiy-i-Daru'sh-Shafa' and whom the well-known Siyyid
|
24 |
One the day they were captured, I happened to be with
my brother and my maternal uncle, who had arrived from
Zarand and had lodged in a caravanersai outside the gate
of Naw. The next morning they departed for Zarand, and
as I returned to the Madrisiy-i-Daru'sh-Shafa', I discovered
in my room a package upon which was placed a letter addressed
to me by Mírzá |
25 |
In the meantime, Bahá'u'lláh had sent from the Madrisiyi-Sadr
a message to Mírzá |
26 |
Meanwhile, my relations, who had recognised me in the
Masjid-i-Sháh, pressed me to leave for Zarand, pleading
that my father, who had been misinformed of my arrest and
impending execution, was in grave distress, and that it was
my duty to hasten and relieve him of his anxieties. Acting
on the advice of Mírzá |
27 | In the midst of the festivities which my relatives celebrated in Zarand, my heart was set upon Tihrán, and my thoughts centred round the fate which might have befallen my fellow-disciples in that agitated city. I longed to hear of their safety. Though in the house of my father, and surrounded with the solicitude of my parents, I felt oppressed by the thought of being severed from that little band, whose perils I could well imagine and whose afflictions I longed to share. The terrible suspense under which I lived, while confined in my home, was unexpectedly relieved by the arrival of Sádiq-i-Tabrízí, who came from Tihrán and was received in the house of my father. Though delivering me from the uncertainties which had been weighing so heavily upon me, he, to my profound horror, unfolded to my ears a tale of such terrifying cruelty that the anxieties of suspense paled before the ghastly light which that lurid story cast upon my heart. |
28 |
The circumstances of the martyrdom of my arrested
brethren in Tihrán--for such was their fate--I now proceed
to relate. The fourteen disciples of the Báb, who had been
captured, remained incarcerated in the house of |
29 |
Convinced of their powerlessness to bend their will, they
referred the matter to |
30 |
1. |
31 |
Though his friends appealed to him to escape the turmoil
that was fast approaching, he refused to heed their counsel
and faced, until his last hour, with complete resignation, the
persecution to which he was subjected. A considerable
number among the more affluent merchants of his acquaintance
offered to pay his ransom, an offer which he rejected.
Finally he was brought before the Amír-Nizám. "The Chief
Magistrate of this realm," the Grand Vazír informed him,
"is loth to inflict the slightest injury upon the Prophet's
descendants. Eminent merchants of Shíráz and Tihrán are
willing, nay eager, to pay your ransom. The Maliku't-Tujjar
has even interceded in your behalf. A word of recantation
from you is sufficient to set you free and ensure
your return, with honours, to your native city. I pledge my
word that, should you be willing to acquiesce, the remaining
days of your life will be spent with honour and dignity under
the sheltering shadow of your sovereign." "Your Excellency,"
boldly replied |
32 | The Amír was stupefied by such an answer. In a frenzy of despair, and without uttering a word, he motioned that he be taken out and beheaded. As the victim was being conducted to his death, he was heard, several times, to repeat these words of Háfiz: "Great is my gratitude to Thee, O my God, for having granted so bountifully all I have asked of Thee." "Hear me, O people," he cried to the multitude that pressed around him; "I have offered myself up as a willing sacrifice in the path of the Cause of God. The entire province of Fárs, as well as `Iráq, beyond the confines of Persia, will readily testify to my uprightness of conduct, to my sincere piety and noble lineage. For over a thousand years, you have prayed and prayed again that the promised Qá'im be made manifest. At the mention of His name, how often have you cried, from the depths of your hearts: `Hasten, O God, His coming; remove every barrier that stands in the way of His appearance!' And now that He is come, you have driven Him to a hopeless exile in a remote and sequestered corner of Ádhirbayján and have risen to exterminate His companions. Were I to invoke the malediction of God upon you, I am certain that His avenging wrath would grievously afflict you. Such is not, however, my prayer. With my last breath, I pray that the Almighty may wipe away the stain of your guilt and enable you to awaken from the sleep of heedlessness." [31] |
33 |
These words stirred his executioner to his very depths.
Pretending that the sword he had been holding in readiness
in his hands required to be resharpened, he hastily went
away, determined never to return again. "When I was
appointed to this service," he was heard to complain, weeping
bitterly the while, "they undertook to deliver into my hands
only those who had been convicted of murder and highway
robbery. I am now ordered by them to shed the blood of
one no less holy than the Imám Musay-i-Kazim
[32]
himself!"
Shortly after, he departed for Khurásán and there sought to
earn his livelihood as a porter and crier. To the believers
of that province, he recounted the tale of that tragedy, and
expressed his repentance of the act which he had been compelled
to perpetrate. Every time he recalled that incident,
every time the name of |
34 | 2. Mírzá Qurbán-`Alí, [33] a native of Barfurúsh in the province of Mazindarán, and an outstanding figure in the community known by the name of Ni'matu'llahi. He was a man of sincere piety and endowed with great nobleness of nature. Such was the purity of his life that a considerable number among the notables of Mazindarán, of Khurásán and Tihrán had pledged him their loyalty, and regarded him as the very embodiment of virtue. Such was the esteem in which he was held by his countrymen that, on the occasion of his pilgrimage to Kárbilá, a vast concourse of devoted admirers thronged his route in order to pay their homage to him. In Hamadán, as well as in Kirmansháh, a great number of people were influenced by his personality and joined the company of his followers. Wherever he went, he was greeted with the acclamations of the people. These demonstrations of popular enthusiasm were, however, extremely distasteful to him. He avoided the crowd and disdained the pomp and circumstance of leadership. On his way to Kárbilá, while passing through Mandalíj, a shaykh of considerable influence became so enamoured of him that he renounced all that he had formerly cherished and, leaving his friends and disciples, followed him as far as Ya'qubiyyih. Mírzá Qurbán-`Alí, however, succeeded in inducing him to return to Mandalíj and resume the work which he had abandoned. |
35 |
On his return from his pilgrimage, Mírzá Qurbán-`Alí
met Mullá |
36 | When Mírzá Qurbán-`Alí was arrested and brought before the Amír-Nizám, a commotion such as Tihrán had rarely experienced was raised. Large crowds of people thronged the approaches to the headquarters of the government, eager to learn what would befall him. "Since last night," the Amír, as soon as he had seen him, remarked, "I have been besieged by all classes of State officials who have vigorously interceded in your behalf. [35] From what I learn of the position you occupy and the influence your words exercise, you are not much inferior to the Siyyid-i-Báb Himself. Had you claimed for yourself the position of leadership, better would it have been than to declare your allegiance to one who is certainly inferior to you in knowledge." "The knowledge which I have acquired," he boldly retorted, "has led me to bow down in allegiance before Him whom I have recognised to be my Lord and Leader. Ever since I attained the age of manhood, I have regarded justice and fairness as the ruling motives of my life. I have judged Him fairly, and have reached the conclusion that should this Youth, to whose transcendent power friend and foe alike testify, be false, every Prophet of God, from time immemorial down to the present day, should be denounced as the very embodiment of falsehood! I am assured of the unquestioning devotion of over a thousand admirers, and yet I am powerless to change the heart of the least among them. This Youth, however, has proved Himself capable of transmuting, through the elixir of His love, the souls of the most degraded among His fellow men. Upon a thousand like me He has, unaided and alone, exerted such influence that, without even attaining His presence, they have flung aside their own desires and have clung passionately to His will. Fully conscious of the inadequacy of the sacrifice they have made, these yearn to lay down their lives for His sake, in the hope that this further evidence of their devotion may be worthy of mention in His Court." |
37 | "I am loth," the Amír-Nizám remarked, "whether your words be of God or not, to pronounce the sentence of death against the possessor of so exalted a station." "Why hesitate? burst forth the impatient victim. "Are you not aware that all names descend from Heaven? He whose name is `Alí, [36] in whose path I am laying down my life, has from time immemorial inscribed my name, Qurbán-`Alí, [37] in the scroll of His chosen martyrs. This is indeed the day on which I celebrate the Qurban festival, the day on which I shall seal with my life-blood my faith in His Cause. Be not, therefore, reluctant, and rest assured that I shall never blame you for your act. The sooner you strike off my head, the greater will be my gratitude to you." "Take him away from this place!" cried the Amír. "Another moment, and this dervish will have cast his spell over me!" "You are proof against that magic," Mírzá Qurbán-`Alí replied, "that can captivate only the pure in heart. You and your like can never be made to realise the entrancing power of that Divine elixir which, swift as the twinkling of an eye, transmutes the souls of men." |
38 | Exasperated by the reply, the Amír-Nizám arose from his seat and, his whole frame shaking with anger, exclaimed: "Nothing but the edge of the sword can silence the voice of this deluded people!" "No need," he told the executioners who were in attendance upon him, "to bring any more members of this hateful sect before me. Words are powerless to overcome their unswerving obstinacy. Whomever you are able to induce to recant his faith, release him; as for the rest, strike off their heads." |
39 |
As he drew near the scene of his death, Mírzá Qurbán-`Alí,
intoxicated with the prospect of an approaching reunion
with his Beloved, broke forth into expressions of joyous
exultation. "Hasten to slay me," he cried with rapturous
delight, "for through this death you will have offered me the
chalice of everlasting life. Though my withered breath you
now extinguish, with a myriad lives will my Beloved reward
me; lives such as no mortal heart can conceive!" "Hearken
to my words, you who profess to be the followers of the Apostle
of God," he pleaded, as he turned his gaze to the concourse
of spectators. " |
40 |
At the sight of the body of |
41 |
3. Then came the turn of |
42 | Conducted to the block and waiting for the moment of his execution, he turned his gaze towards those twin martyrs who had preceded him and who still lay entwined in each other's embrace. "Well done, beloved companions!" he cried, as he fixed his gaze upon their gory heads. "You have turned Tihrán into a paradise! Would that I had preceded you!" Drawing from his pocket a coin, which he handed to his executioner, he begged him to purchase for him something with which he could sweeten his mouth. He took some of it and gave the rest to him, saying: "I have forgiven you your act; approach and deal your blow. For thirty years I have yearned to witness this blessed day, and was fearful lest I should carry this wish with me unfulfilled to the grave." "Accept me, O my God," he cried, as he turned his eyes to heaven, "unworthy though I be, and deign to inscribe my name upon the scroll of those immortals who have laid down their lives on the altar of sacrifice." He was still offering his devotions when the executioner, at his request, suddenly cut short his prayer. [39] |
43 |
4. He had hardly expired when Siyyid |
44 |
As he faced the multitude that had gathered round him
to witness his martyrdom, Siyyid |
45 |
5. Soon after, |
46 |
6. No sooner had |
47 |
7. In the midst of the turmoil which the stirring words
of Siyyid Murtadá had raised, Muhammad-Husayn-i-Maraghiyi
rushed forward and begged that he be allowed to be
martyred immediately ere his companions were put to the
sword. As soon as his eyes fell upon the body of |
48 | Their eagerness to precede one another in laying down their lives for their Faith astonished the multitude who wondered which of the three would be preferred to his companions. They pleaded with such fervour that eventually they were beheaded, all three, at one and the same moment. |
49 | So great a faith, such evidences of unbridled cruelty, human eye has rarely beheld. Few as they were in number, yet when we recall the circumstances of their martyrdom, we are compelled to acknowledge the stupendous character of that force which could evoke so rare a spirit of self-sacrifice. When we remember the exalted rank these victims had occupied, when we observe the degree of their renunciation and the vitality of their faith, when we recall the pressure which from influential quarters had been exerted to avert the danger with which their lives were threatened, above all when we picture to our minds the spirit that defied the atrocities which a heartless enemy so far bemeaned themselves as to inflict upon them, we are impelled to look upon that episode as one of the most tragic occurrences in the annals of this Cause. [42] |
50 | At this stage of my narrative I was privileged to submit to Bahá'u'lláh such sections of my work as I had already revised and completed. How abundantly have my labours been rewarded by Him whose favour alone I seek, and for whose satisfaction I have addressed myself to this task! He graciously summoned me to His presence and vouchsafed me His blessings. I was in my home in the prison-city of Akká, and lived in the neighbourhood of the house of Aqáy-i-Kalím, when the summons of my Beloved reached me. That day, the seventh of the month of Rabí'u'th-Thání in the year 1306 A.H., [43] I shall never forget. I here reproduce the gist of His words to me on that memorable occasion: |
51 |
"In a Tablet which We yesterday revealed, We have
explained the meaning of the words, `Turn your eyes away,'
[44]
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 Tihrán, when Siyyid
Ahmad-i-Yazdi, father of Siyyid |
52 | "She remained in her company until the call of the Báb, bidding Us proceed to Khurásán, reached Our ears. We decided that Táhirih should proceed immediately to that province, and commissioned Mírzá [46] 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. Mírzá Músá 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 Khurásán, and promised that We would follow within the space of a few days. |
53 |
"We soon joined her at Badasht, where We rented a garden
for her use, and appointed the same |
54 | "We fell ill one day, and were confined to bed. Táhirih 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 Mírzá Áqá Ján [47] commented upon that incident. `The face of Fátimih,' 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." |
55 | "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 Islám, 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 [48] and his brother Mírzá Hádí, to both of whom We sent word that it was unnecessary for them to desert their companions and seek refuge in a castle. |
56 | "Our friends eventually dispersed, leaving Us at the mercy of Our enemies. When, at a later time, We went to Ámul, 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 mullá of the town denounced Us bitterly. `You have perverted the Faith of Islám,' 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 Qá'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 Qá'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 Islám. |
57 | The mullá 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 Ámul 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. |
58 | "At the time We proposed to send Muhammad-Hadiy-i-Farhadi to Qazvín, in order to achieve the deliverance of Táhirih and conduct her to Tihrán, Shaykh Abú-Turáb 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." |
59 | A word should now be added regarding the closing stages of the tragedy that witnessed to the heroism of the Seven Martyrs of Tihrán. For three days and three nights they remained abandoned in the Sabzih-Maydán, which adjoined the imperial palace, exposed to untold indignities which an unrelenting foe heaped upon them. Thousands of devout shí'ahs gathered round their corpses, kicked them with their feet, and spat upon their faces. They were pelted, cursed, and mocked by the angry multitude. Heaps of refuse were flung upon their remains by the bystanders, and the foulest atrocities were perpetrated upon their bodies. No voice was raised in protest, no hand was stretched to stay the arm of the barbarous oppressor. |
60 | Having allayed the tumult of their passion, they buried them outside the gate of the capital, in a place which lay beyond the limits of the public cemetery, adjoining the moat, between the gates of Naw and of Sháh `Abdu'l-`Azím. They were all laid in the same grave, thus remaining united in body, as they had been in spirit during the days of their earthly life. [49] |
61 | The news of their martyrdom came as an added blow to the Báb, who was already plunged in sorrow at the fate that had befallen the heroes of Tabarsí. In the detailed Tablet He revealed in their honour, every word of which testified to the exalted position they occupied in His eyes, He referred to them as those very "Seven Goats" spoken of in the traditions of Islám, who on the Day of Judgment shall "walk in front of the promised Qá'im." They shall symbolise by their life the noblest spirit of heroism, and by their death shall manifest true acquiescence in His will. By preceding the Qá'im, the Báb explained, is meant that their martyrdom will precede that of the Qá'im Himself, who is their Shepherd. What the Báb had predicted came to be fulfilled, inasmuch as His own martyrdom occurred four months later in Tabríz. |
62 |
That memorable year witnessed, in addition to the martyrdom
of the Báb and that of His seven companions in Tihrán,
the momentous happenings of Nayríz which culminated in
the death of Vahíd. Towards the end of that same year,
Zanján likewise became the centre of a storm which raged
with exceptional violence throughout the surrounding district,
bringing in its wake the massacre of a vast number of
the Báb's staunchest disciples. That year, rendered memorable
by the magnificent heroism which those staunch supporters
of His Faith displayed, not to speak of the marvellous
circumstances that attended His own martyrdom, must ever
remain as one of the most glorious chapters ever recorded
in that Faith's blood-stained history. The entire face of the
land was blackened by the atrocities in which a cruel and
rapacious enemy freely and persistently indulged. From
Khurásán, on the eastern confines of Persia, as far west as
Tabríz, the scene of the Báb's martyrdom, and from the
northern cities of Zanján and Tihrán stretching south as
far as Nayríz, in the province of Fárs, the whole country was
enveloped in darkness, a darkness that heralded the dawning
light of the Revelation which the expected |
1. [June 22-July 21, 1849 A.D.]
2. [November 17-December 17, 1849 A.D.]
4. [According to the "Kashful'l-Ghita'" (p. 241) his full name was Mírzá Aliy-i-Sayyah-i-Maraghih'i. He had acted as the servant of the Báb in Máh-Kú, ranked among His leading companions, and subsequently embraced the Message of Bahá'u'lláh.]
8. [Followers of Mírzá
9. [The claims of this young man were based on a nomination-document now in the possession Prof. Browne, and have been supported by a letter given in a French version by Mons. Nicolas. Forgery, however, has played such great part in written documents of the East that I hesitate to recognize the genuineness of this nomination. And I think it very improbable that any company of intensely earnest men should have accepted the document in preference to the evidence of their own knowledge respecting the inadequate endowments of Subh-i-Azal.... The probability is that the arrangement already made was further sanctioned, viz. that Bahá'u'lláh was for the present to take the private direction of affairs and exercise his great gifts as a teacher, while Subh-i-Azal (a vain young man) gave his name as ostensible head, especially with view to outsiders and to agents of the government." (Dr. T. K. Cheyne's "The Reconciliation of Races and Religions," pp. 118-19.)]
10. ["I adjure thee by God, the One, the Mighty, the Omnipotent, to ponder in thine heart those writings which were sent in his [Mírzá
11. [1848-9 A.D.]
13. [See Glossary.]
14. [1847 A.D.]
15. [Qur'án, 103.]
16. [See Glossary.]
17. [See Glossary.]
18. [See Glossary.]
19. [1851-2 A.D.]
20. [See Glossary.]
21. [Literally "The Most Exalted Leaf."]
23. [Meaning "Master" by which title `Abdu'l-Bahá was then designated.]
24. [See Glossary.]
26. [February 14-March 15, 1850 A.D.]
27. [1850 A.D. . One of the titles of the Báb. . February 14, March 15, 1850 A.D.] 28. [He was the son of Qurban, the head cook of the Qa'im-Magam, the predecessor of 30. [1848-9 A.D.]
31. ["He took off his turban, and, raising his face towards heaven, exclaimed, `O God, Thou art witness of how they are slaying the son of Thy most honourable Prophet without fault on his part.' Then he turned to the executioner and recited this verse: `How long shall grief of separation from Him slay me? Cut off my head that Love may bestow on me a head.'" (Mathnaví, Book 6, p. 649, 1, 2; ed. Ala'u'd-Dawlih.) ("A Traveller's Narrative," Note B, p. 174.)]
33. [According to
34. [See Glossary.]
35. ["Mírzá Qurbán-`Alí was famous amongst mystics and dervishes, and had many friends and disciples in Tihrán, besides being well known to most of the nobles and chief men, and even to the Sháh's mother. She, because of her friendship for him and the compassion she felt for his plight, said to his Majesty the king: `He is no Bábí, but has been falsely accused.' So they sent and brought him out saying: `Thou art a dervish, a scholar, and a man of learning; thou dost not belong to this misguided sect; a false charge has been preferred against thee.' He replied: `I reckon myself one of the followers and servants of His Holiness, though whether or no He hath accepted me as such, I wot not.' When they continued to persuade him, holding out hopes of a pension and salary, he said: `This life and these drops of blood of mine are of but small account; were the empire of the world mine, and had I a thousand lives, I would freely cast them all at the feet of His friends: `To sacrifice the head for the Beloved, in mine eyes appears an easy thing indeed; Close thy lips, and cease to speak of mediation, For of mediation lovers have no need.' So at length they desisted in despair, and signified that he should die." (The "Tarikh-i-Jadid," p. 254.)]
37. [Qurban means "Sacrifice"; hence, "Sacrifice for the Báb."]
38. ["When he was brought to the foot of the execution-pole, the headman raised his sword and smote him on the neck from behind. The blow only bowed his head, and caused the dervish's turban which he wore to roll some paces from him on the ground. Immediately as it were with his last breath, he sent a fresh pang through the heart of everyone capable of emotion by reciting these verses: `Happy he whom love's intoxication So hath overcome that scarce he knows Whether at the feet of the Beloved It be head or turban which he throws!'" (The "Tarikh-i-Jadid", pp. 254-5.)]
39. ["Now when they were ready to begin their work of decapitation and slaughter, it was
40. [1847-8 A.D.]
42. ["After detailing the occurrences briefly set forth above, the Bábí historian proceeds to point out the special value and unique character of the testimony given by the "Seven Martyrs.' They were men representing all the more important classes in Persia--divines, dervishes, merchants, shopkeepers, and government officials; they were men who had enjoyed the respect and consideration of all; they died fearlessly, willingly, almost eagerly, declining to purchase life by that mere lip-denial which, under the name of kitman or taqíyyih, is recognised by the by the shí'ahs as a perfectly justifiable subterfuge in case of peril; they were not driven to despair of mercy as were those who died at Shaykh Tabarsí and Zanján and they sealed their faith with their blood in the public square of the Persian capital wherein is the abode of the foreign ambassadors accredited to the court of the Sháh. And herein the Bábí historian is right: even those who speak severely of the Bábí movement generally, characterising it as a communism destructive of all order and all morality, express commiseration for the guiltless victims. To the day of their martyrdom we may well apply Gobineau's eloquent reflection on a similar tragedy enacted two years later: ..."This eventful day brought to the Báb more secret followers than many sermons could have done. I have just said that the impression created by the prodigious endurance of the martyrs was deep and lasting. I have often heard repeated the story of that day by eye witnesses, by men close to the government, some even important officials. From their accounts, one might easily have believed that they were all Bábís, so great was the admiration they felt for memories which were not to the honor of Islám, and so high was the esteem they entertained for the resourcefulness, the hopes and the chances of success of the new doctrine." ("A Traveller's Narrative," Note B, pp. 175-176.)]
45. [Mírzá Áqá Khán-i-Núrí, who succeeded the Amír-Nizám as Grand Vazír of Násiri'd-Dín Sháh.]
46. [Aqáy-i-Kalím, brother of Bahá'u'lláh.]
47. [Bahá'u'lláh's amanuensis.]
48. [Mírzá
49. ["When the executioners had completed their bloody work, the rabble onlookers, awed for a while by the patient courage of the martyrs, again allowed their ferocious fanaticism to break out in insults to the mortal remains of those whose spirits had now passed beyond the power of their malice. They cast stones and filth at the motionless corpses, abusing them, and crying out, `This is the recompense of the people of affection and of such as pursue the Path of Wisdom and Truth!' Nor would they suffer their bodies to be interred in a burial-ground, but cast them into a pit outside the Gate of Sháh `Abdu'l-`Azím, which they then filled up." ("A Traveller's Narrative," Note B, pp. 174-5.)]
50. [`While these developments were taking place in the north of Persia, the provinces of the center and the south were deeply stirred by the enthusiastic appeals of the missionaries of the new doctrine. The people-- light, credulous, ignorant, superstitious in the extreme--were dumbfounded by the accounts of continuous miracles of which they heard every minute; the Mullás, deeply concerned, feeling that their wavering flock was ready to escape their control, multiplied their slanders and defamation; the grossest lies, the most cruel fictions were circulated among the bewildered masses, divided between terror and admiration." (A. L. M. Nicolas' "Siyyid