Chapter IV: Mulla Husayn's Journey to Tihran

CHAPTER IV &MULLA &HUSAYN'S JOURNEY TO &TIHRAN

WITH these noble words ringing in his ears, &Mulla &Husayn embarked upon his perilous enterprise. Wherever he went, to whatever class of people he addressed himself, he delivered fearlessly and without reserve the Message with which his beloved Master had entrusted him. Arriving in &Isfahan, he established himself in the madrisih of &Nim-Avard. Around him gathered those who on his previous visit to that city had known him as the favoured messenger of Siyyid &Kazim to the eminent mujtahid, &Haji Siyyid &Muhammad-Baqir.+F1 He, being now dead, had been succeeded by his son, who had just returned from Najaf and was now established upon the seat of his father. &Haji &Muhammad-Ibrahim-i-Kalbasi had also fallen seriously ill, and was on the verge of death. The disciples of the late &Haji Siyyid &Muhammad-Baqir, now freed from the restraining influence of their departed teacher, and alarmed at the strange doctrines which &Mulla &Husayn was propounding, vehemently denounced him to &Haji Siyyid &Asadu'llah, the son of the late &Haji Siyyid &Muhammad-Baqir. "&Mulla &Husayn," they complained, "was able, in the course of his last visit, to win the support of your illustrious father to the cause of &Shaykh &Ahmad. No one among the Siyyid's helpless disciples dared to oppose him. He now comes as the upholder of a still more formidable opponent and is pleading His Cause with still greater vehemence and vigour. He is persistently claiming that He whose Cause he now champions is the Revealer of a Book which is divinely inspired, and which bears a striking resemblance to the tone +F1 "In crowds they gathered to hear the teacher. He occupied in turn all the +F1 pulpits of &Isfahan where he was free to speak publicly and to announce +F1 that &Mirza &Ali-Muhammad was the twelfth &Imam, the &Imam &Mihdi. He +F1 displayed and read his Master's books and would reveal their eloquence +F1 and their depth, emphasizing the extreme youthfulness of the seer and +F1 telling of his miracles." (Comte de Gobineau's "Les Religions et les +F1 Philosophies dans l'Asie Centrale," p. 130.) +P98 and language of the &Qur'an. In the face of the people of this city, he has flung these challenging words: `Produce one like it, if you are men of truth.' The day is fast approaching when the whole of &Isfahan will have embraced his Cause!" &Haji Siyyid &Asadu'llah returned evasive answers to their complaints. "What am I to say?" he was at last forced to reply. Do you not yourselves admit that &Mulla &Husayn has, by his eloquence and the cogency of his argument, silenced a man no less great than my illustrious father? How can I, then, who am so inferior to him in merit and knowledge, presume to challenge what he has already approved? Let each man dispassionately examine these claims. If he be satisfied, well and good; if not, let him observe silence, and not incur the risk of discrediting the fair name of our Faith."

Finding that their efforts had failed to influence &Haji Siyyid &Asadu'llah, his disciples referred the matter to &Haji &Muhammad-Ibrahim-i-Kalbasi. "Woe betide us," they loudly protested, "for the enemy has risen to disrupt the holy Faith of &Islam. ln lurid and exaggerated language, they stressed the challenging character of the ideas propounded by &Mulla &Husayn. "Hold your peace," replied &Haji &Muhammad-Ibrahim. "&Mulla &Husayn is not the person to be duped by anyone, nor can he fall a victim to dangerous heresies. If your contention be true, if &Mulla &Husayn has indeed espoused a new Faith, it is unquestionably your first obligation to enquire dispassionately into the character of his teachings, and to refrain from denouncing him without previous and careful scrutiny. If my health and strength be restored, it is my intention, God willing, to investigate the matter myself, and to ascertain the truth."

This severe rebuke, pronounced by &Haji &Kalbasi, greatly disconcerted the disciples of &Haji Siyyid &Asadu'llah. In their dismay they appealed to &Manuchihr &Khan, the &Mu'tamidu'd-Dawlih, the governor of the city. That wise and judicious ruler refused to interfere in these matters, which he said fell exclusively within the jurisdiction of the &ulamas. He warned them to abstain from mischief and to cease disturbing the peace and tranquillity of the messenger. His trenchant words shattered the hopes of the mischief-makers. &Mulla &Husayn was thereby relieved from the machinations +P99 of his enemies, and, for a time, pursued untrammelled the course of his labours.

The first to embrace the Cause of the &Bab in that city was a man, a sifter of wheat, who, as soon as the Call reached his ears, unreservedly accepted the Message. With marvellous devotion he served &Mulla &Husayn, and through his close association with him became a zealous advocate of the new Revelation. A few years later, when the soul-stirring details of the siege of the fort of &Shaykh &Tabarsi were being recounted to him, he felt an irresistible impulse to throw in his lot with those heroic companions of the &Bab who had risen for the defence of their Faith. Carrying his sieve in his hand, he immediately arose and set out to reach the scene of that memorable encounter. "Why leave so hurriedly?" his friends asked him, as they saw him running in a state of intense excitement through the bazaars of &Isfahan. "I have risen," he replied, "to join the glorious company of the defenders of the fort of &Shaykh &Tabarsi! With this sieve which I carry with me, I intend to sift the people in every city through which I pass. Whomsoever I find ready to espouse the Cause I have embraced, I will ask to join me and hasten forthwith to the field of martyrdom." Such was the devotion of this youth, that the &Bab, in the Persian &Bayan, refers to him in such terms: "&Isfahan, that outstanding city, is distinguished by the religious fervour of its &shi'ah inhabitants, by the learning of its divines, and by the keen expectation, shared by high and low alike, of the imminent coming of the &Sahibu'z-Zaman. In every quarter of that city, religious institutions have been established. And yet, when the Messenger of God had been made manifest, they who claimed to be the repositories of learning and the expounders of the mysteries of the Faith of God rejected His Message. Of all the inhabitants of that seat of learning, only one person, a sifter of wheat, was found to recognise the Truth, and was invested with the robe of Divine virtue!"+F1 +F1 `Behold the land of &Sad (&Isfahan) which in this world of appearances is +F1 the greatest of lands. In every one of its schools, numerous slaves are +F1 found who bear the name of savants and contestants. At the time of the +F1 election of members, even a sifter of grain may put on the garb of primacy +F1 (above the others). It is here that the secret of the word of the &Imams, +F1 regarding the Manifestation, shines forth: "The lowliest of the creatures +F1 shall become the most exalted, and the most exalted shall become the most +F1 debased.'" ("The &Bayan Persan," vol. 4, p. 113.) +P100

Among the siyyids of &Isfahan, a few, such as &Mirza &Muhammad-'Aliy-i-Nahri, whose daughter was subsequently joined in wedlock with the Most Great Branch,+F1 &Mirza &Hadi, the brother of &Mirza &Muhammad-'Ali, and &Mirza &Muhammad-Riday-i-Pa-Qal'iyi, recognised the truth of the Cause. &Mulla &Sadiq-i-Khurasani, formerly known as Muqaddas, and surnamed by &Baha'u'llah, &Ismu'llahu'l-Asdaq, who, according to the instructions of Siyyid &Kazim, had during the last five years been residing in &Isfahan and had been preparing the way for the advent of the new Revelation, was also among the first believers who identified themselves with the Message proclaimed by the &Bab.+F2 As Soon as he learned of the arrival of &Mulla &Husayn in &Isfahan, he hastened to meet him. He gives the following account of his first interview, which took place at night in the home of &Mirza &Muhammad-'Aliy-i-Nahri: "I asked &Mulla &Husayn to divulge the name of Him who claimed to be the promised Manifestation. He replied: `To enquire about that name and to divulge it are alike forbidden.' `Would it, then, be possible,' I asked, `for me, even as the Letters of the Living, to seek independently the grace of the All-Merciful and, through prayer, to discover His identity?' `The door of His grace,' he replied, `is never closed before the face of him who seeks to find Him.' I immediately retired from his presence, and requested his host to allow me the privacy of a room in his house where, alone and undisturbed, I could commune with God. In the midst of my contemplation, I suddenly remembered the face of a Youth whom I had often observed while in &Karbila, standing in an attitude of prayer, with His face bathed in tears at the entrance of the shrine of the &Imam &Husayn. That same countenance now reappeared before my eyes. In my vision I seemed to behold that same face, those same features, expressive of such joy as I could never describe. He smiled as He gazed at me. I went towards Him, ready to throw myself at His feet. I was bending towards the ground, when, lo! that radiant figure vanished from before me. Overpowered with joy and gladness, I ran out to meet &Mulla +F1 Reference to &Abdu'l-Baha's marriage with &Munirih &Khanum. +F2 Gobineau (p. 129) mentions &Mulla &Muhammad-Taqiy-i-Harati, a well-known +F2 juris-consult, as one of the earliest converts to the Faith. +P101 &Husayn, who with transport received me and assured me that I had, at last, attained the object of my desire. He bade me, however, repress my feelings. `Declare not your vision to anyone,' he urged me; `the time for it has not yet arrived. You have reaped the fruit of your patient waiting in &Isfahan. You should now proceed to &Kirman, and there acquaint &Haji &Mirza &Karim &Khan with this Message. From that place you should travel to &Shiraz and endeavour to rouse the people of that city from their heedlessness. I hope to join you in &Shiraz and share with you the blessings of a joyous reunion with our Beloved.'"+F1

From &Isfahan, &Mulla &Husayn proceeded to &Kashan. The first to be enrolled in that city among the company of the faithful was a certain &Haji &Mirza &Jani, surnamed &Par-Pa, who was a merchant of note.+F2 Among the friends of &Mulla &Husayn was a well-known divine, Siyyid &Abdu'l-Baqi, a resident of &Kashan and a member of the &shaykhi community. Although intimately associated with &Mulla &Husayn during his stay in Najaf and &Karbila, the Siyyid felt unable to sacrifice rank and leadership for the Message which his friend had brought him.

Arriving in Qum, &Mulla &Husayn found its people utterly unprepared to heed his call. The seeds he sowed among them did not germinate until the time when &Baha'u'llah was exiled to &Baghdad. In those days &Haji &Mirza &Musa, a native of Qum, embraced the Faith, journeyed to &Baghdad, and there met &Baha'u'llah. He eventually quaffed the cup of martyrdom in His path.

From Qum, &Mulla &Husayn proceeded directly to &Tihran. He lived, during his stay in the capital, in one of the rooms +F1 "The sojourn of &Bushru'i in &Isfahan proved a triumph for the &Bab. The +F1 conversions that he performed were numerous and brilliant; but, such are +F1 the ways of the world, that they drew down upon him the fierce hatred of +F1 the official clergy to which he was obliged to yield and he withdrew from +F1 that city. In fact, the conversion of &Mulla &Muhammad &Taqi-i-Hirati, a +F1 jurist of the first rank, brought their fury to a climax, because +F1 over-flowing with zeal as he was, he would go every day to the mambar where +F1 he talked to men openly of the greatness of the &Bab to whom he gave the +F1 rank of &Na'ib-i-khass of the twelfth &Imam." (A. L. M. Nicolas' "Siyyid +F1 &Ali-Muhammad dit le &Bab," p. 255.) +F2 According to the "&Kashfu'l-Ghiti'" (pp. 42-5), &Haji &Mirza &Jani was +F2 known by the people of &Kashan as &Haji &Mirza &Janiy-i-Buzurg in order to +F2 distinguish him from his namesake, who was also a merchant of &Kashan, +F2 known by the name of &Haji &Mirza &Janiy-i-Turk, or &Kuchiq. The former +F2 had three brothers the eldest was named &Haji &Muhammad-Isma'il-i-Dhabih, +F2 the second &Haji &Mirza &Ahmad, the third &Haji &Ali-Akbar. +P102 which belonged to the madrisih of &Mirza &Salih, better known as the madrisih of &Pay-i-Minar. &Haji &Mirza &Muhammad-i-Khurasani, the leader of the &shaykhi community of &Tihran, who acted as an instructor in that institution, was approached by &Mulla &Husayn but failed to respond to his motivation to accept the Message. "We had cherished the hope he said to &Mulla &Husayn, "that after the death of Siyyid &Kazim you would strive to promote the best interests of the &shaykhi community and would deliver it from the +P103 obscurity into which it has sunk. You seem, however, to have betrayed its cause. You have shattered our fondest expectations. If you persist in disseminating these subversive doctrines, you will eventually extinguish the remnants of the &shaykhis in this city." &Mulla &Husayn assured him that he had no intention of prolonging his stay in &Tihran, that his aim was in no wise to abase or suppress the teachings inculcated by &Shaykh &Ahmad and Siyyid &Kazim.+F1

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 +F1 "He passed several days in that capital but he did not appear in public. +F1 He limited himself to confidential conversations with those who visited +F1 him. He thus received many and won over to his doctrine a fairly large +F1 number of enquirers. Each one wished to see him, or to have seen him, and +F1 the King, &Muhammad &Shah and his Minister, &Haji &Mirza &Aqasi, true +F1 Persians as they were, did not fail to have him brought before them. He +F1 laid before them his doctrine and gave to them the Books of the Master." +F1 (Comte de Gobineau's "Les Religions et les Philosophies dans l'Asie +F1 Centrale," p. 131.) +P104 remain in the privacy of his cell until the next day.+F1 &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 recognised 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, recognise 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 +F1 According to Samandar (manuscript, p. 2), &Mulla &Husayn, on his way from +F1 &Shiraz to &Tihran in the year 1260 A.H., was the bearer of a Tablet +F1 revealed by the &Bab for &Muhammad &Shah. +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."+F1 "What is His age?" "Eight and twenty." 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.

"`As I approached the house of &Baha'u'llah, I recognised 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 &Baha'u'llah. 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 +F1 "On one occasion," writes Dr. J. E. Esslemont, "&Abdu'l-Baha, the eldest +F1 son of &Baha'u'llah, related to the writer the following particulars about +F1 His Father's early days: `From childhood He was extremely kind and +F1 generous. He was a great lover of outdoor life, most of His time being +F1 spent in the garden or the fields. He had an extraordinary power of +F1 attraction, which was felt by all. People always crowded around Him. +F1 Ministers and people of the Court would surround Him, and the children also +F1 were devoted to Him. When He was only thirteen or fourteen years old He +F1 became renowned for His learning.... When &Baha'u'llah was twenty-two +F1 years old, His father died, and the Government wished Him to succeed to His +F1 father's position in the Ministry as was customary in Persia, but +F1 &Baha'u'llah did not accept the offer. Then the Prime Minister said: +F1 "Leave him to himself. Such a position is unworthy of him. He has some +F1 higher aim in view. I cannot understand him, but I am convinced that he is +F1 destined for some lofty career. His thoughts are not like ours. Let him +F1 alone."'" ("&Baha'u'llah and the New Era," pp. 29-30.) +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 recognises 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,+F1 and to convey to him the expression of His appreciation and love.

"`I arose and, filled with joy, hastened back to &Mulla &Husayn, and delivered to him the gift and message of &Baha'u'llah. 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 &Baha'u'llah? 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, +F1 Tea and that variety of sugar being extremely rare in Persia at that time, +F1 both were used as gifts among the higher classes of the population. +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