# Mulla Husayn Bushru'i: The Indomitable

*Exported from [Holy-Writings.com](https://www.holy-writings.com/) on 2026-06-18 — 1 clipping.*

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> Source: Bahá'í Library Online (bahai-library.com), curated by Jonah Winters. Used by permission of the curator. Original citation: Darius K. Shahrokh, Mulla Husayn Bushru'i: The Indomitable, bahai-library.com.
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> 
> MULLA HUSAYN-I-BUSHRU'I
> 
> A transcript of audio-cassette from series
> WINDOWS TO THE P A S T
> by Darius K. Shahrokh, M.D.
> 
> No introduction more befitting, no words more expressive for opening
> this window other than these awesome words of Baha'u'llah uttered
> in the Book of Certitude about Mulla Husayn -
> "But for him, God would not have been established upon
> the seat of His mercy, nor ascended the throne of
> eternal glory."      (Kitab-i-Iqan, p. 223)
> 
> In another tablet, Baha'u'llah has asserted that the Bab pronounced
> Mulla Husayn to be the return and resurrection of Muhammad because
> he was invested with the command of God the same way that Muhammad
> was. Then Baha'u'llah states,
> II
> This station is sanctified from every limitation and name,
> and naught can be seen therein but God."
> (Tablets of Baha'u'llah, p. 185)
> 
> Now we can understand why, with praises given to Mulla Husayn by
> his teacher, Siyyid Kazim, the other disciples suspected him to
> be the promised Qa'im which was the station of the Bab. (God Passes
> BY, P . 50)
> 
> He was eighteen when he went to Karbila, a holy city in Iraq, and
> in those nine years he spent at the feet of his illustrious teacher,
> Siyyid Kazim, one wonders if he had any idea about the glorious
> mission awaiting him.
> 
> As you recall, Siyyid Kazim was the second and the last luminary
> who appeared before the Declaration of the Bab, foretelling the
> nearness of the advent of the promised Qa'im.
> Although the doctrines of these two teachers were clearly in
> accordance with Islamic holy writings, some prominent divines in
> Iran contested them and showed indication of withdrawing their
> support, bordering on open opposition. One such divine was in
> Isfahan, once the capital of the Safavid dynasty in Iran.
> 
> Siyyid Kazim, in his lectures, made references to those divines,
> and once he said if only a capable student of his could rise to
> the occasion and convince those divines of the truth of his
> teachings. You would guess that Mulla Husayn would be the one
> who raised his hand, but his humility surpassed his greatness.
> This paradox of greatness in humility has been repeatedly seen
> in the history of the Faith.
> 
> The task was challenging and even dangerous since each of those
> divines had a large number of followers who believed in them and
> could not tolerate anyone challenging them.  Of all the disciples
> who wished to rise to the occasion, one student rose up and
> volunteered his services. Siyyid Kazim appreciated the offer,
> but said, "This task is like playing with the lion's tail. Only
> an equal could tackle these divines." Another day he gazed into
> the eyes of frail Mulla Husayn, then twenty-seven years old, and
> said, "Of all my disciples, only you have the capacity for such
> a task, and I will choose no one but you."
> 
> Soon Mulla Husayn left for Isfahan, where in a short time he
> disarmed and convinced that influential divine, carrying his written
> testimony to other parts of the country. He communicated his
> successes to his teacher who showered him with boundless praise,
> but alluded that they would not meet again in this mortal world.
> 
> Then on that 31st day of December 1843, the year before the
> Declaration of the Bab, as predicted by himself, Siyyid Kazim passed
> away. About three weeks later Mulla Husayn, unaware of the passing
> of his teacher, arrived in Karbila only to receive the shocking
> news.
> 
> Being the most prominent disciple of Siyyid Kazim, he was visited
> by high and low who offered their condolences. Then he gathered
> the students and inquired about the last words of their departed
> teacher, which were to disperse and find the promised Qa'im; that
> there would not be another teacher to succeed him.
> As soon as he heard the expressed wishes of their teacher, he asked,
> "Why haven't you left?" Acknowledging their failure, they said,
> Such is our confidence in you that should you claim to be the
> Promised One, we will all accept your claim.''
> 
> You see, their excitement and reverence for PIulla Husayn temporarily
> blinded them to the features specified by their teacher for the
> Qa'im. Mulla Husayn was thirty-one years old and was not a siyyid
> which means a descendant of Muhammad.
> 
> Two of the egotistical disciples excused themselves under the
> pretext of one wishing to protect the vacant seat of the departed
> teacher, and the other felt obligated to stay in Karbila to care
> for the children of the teacher, but really they had their eyes
> on successorship.
> 
> All the devoted disciples and Mulla I-Iusayn's brother and nephew,
> who had recently accompanied him from Iran, followed his example
> and retired to a mosque where they fasted and prayed for forty
> days. Then Mulla Husayn, his brother and nephew entered Iran
> -
> through the southern port city of Bushihr.
> 
> Mulla Husayn never married.    His sister and mother stayed in
> Karbila. As you know, Tahirih was also an admirer of Siyyid Kazim
> by correspondence, but arrived ten days too late to see that
> illustrious teacher. She stayed with the wife of the teacher and
> later converted her.
> 
> Now we find Mulla Husayn and two relatives in the southern part
> of Iran directing their steps towards Shiraz, or shall we say their
> steps were directed to a i r a z by the and of Providence. How else
> could it be? The Bab was near the gate of Shiraz to greet Mulla
> Busayn upon his arrival. The two were apparently total strangers,
> but spiritually connected.
> 
> Now the memorable day is at hand, and the momentous hour ready
> to strike. The birth of a new Dispensation, the exact account
> of which as related by Mulla Husayn shall be treasured by
> generations to come. On that beautiful twenty-second day of May,
> 1844, a few hours before sunset, Mulla Husayn and company arrived
> at the gate of Shiraz, when he sent his brother and nephew to go
> to a certain mosque for lodging, promising that he would join them
> later.
> 
> Outside the gate, his eyes fell upon the radiant face of the Bab
> who greeted him. He embraced Mulla Husayn as if they had been
> lifelong friends. His first thought was that the Bab was another
> disciple of Siyyid Kazim.       The exact details of the Bab's
> Declaration have been graphically mentioned by Mulla Husayn and
> recorded in The Dawn-Breakers, but in the interest of time, only
> its highlights will be recounted.
> 
> Mulla Husayn's concern over joining his companions was overcome
> by the gentle but compelling invitation of the Bab to follow Him
> to His home. At the threshold of the door, Mulla Husayn prayed
> that the first house he visited in a i r a z would be the instrument
> to lead him to the object of his quest. If he only knew that that
> was the House.
> 
> Friends, this was not an ordinary hour approaching. It was the
> culmination of the six thousand years Cycle of Prophecy, and the
> opening of the five thousand centuries of the Cycle of Fulfillment,
> the two greatest religious cycles known to mankind.             The
> significance of that hour demanded no less capacity and character
> than that of Mulla Husayn, without whom the Dispensation would
> not have been born. (Kitab-i-Iqan, p. 223)
> 
> Unaware of what was awaiting him, he followed his Host and entered
> that modest House. Remember! Mulla Husayn still considered his
> Host to be another disciple of his departed teacher. Answering
> the inquiry of his Host, Mulla Husayn told Him what were the last
> wishes of his teacher, and how he was searching for the Promised
> One. Further, he enumerated the distinguishing features of the
> Promised One. The Bab paused for awhile like the calm before the
> thunder. Then the silence was broken with the vibrant voice of
> the Bab proclaiming, "Behold, all these signs are manifest in Me!"
> 
> Thunderstruck, Mulla Husayn could not believe his ears. Not quite
> convinced, he referred to the vast and innate knowledge of the
> Promised One and his unsurpassed holiness repeatedly specified
> by his late teacher. Suddenly he was struck with fear and remorse.
> Upon the start of his search, Mulla Husayn had set two standards
> that the Promised One must fulfill. The first was an explanation
> of the mysteries of a long treatise written by himself, and the
> second was producing a commentary on the chapter of Joseph in the
> Qur'an, unasked. You see, during Mulla Husayn's days with his
> teacher, Siyyid Kazim, once he asked his teacher to write a
> commentary on the chapter of Joseph, but the teacher said, "This
> is way beyond me. A commentary unlike any one before will be
> revealed by the Promised One without being asked.
> 
> Mulla Husayn, with trepidation, gave his own treatise to the Bab
> for perusal. The Bab glanced at certain pages, and in a short
> time unravelled all the various mysteries in that treatise, the
> like of which Mulla Husayn had never heard. Can you imagine Mulla
> Husayn's state of mind? His heart surely was ready to leap out
> of his chest. Whether speechless or not, we do not know, because
> he did not have to utter a word when the final bolt of lightening
> from Heaven struck. Friends, this was not just another ordinary
> man-to-man talk. It was the power of the Holy Spirit giving birth
> to a new cycle, a new dispensation.
> 
> The Bab said, "Now is the time for Me to reveal a commentary on
> the chapter of Joseph." The impact of release of that force would
> have crushed any mortal, but Mulla Husayn was blessed with fortitude
> to withstand it. Mulla Husayn states, "He took up the pen and
> with incredible rapidity revealed the first chapter of that
> commentary. The overpowering effect of the manner in which He
> wrote was heightened by the gentle intonations of His voice which
> accompanied His writing. Not for one moment did He interrupt or
> pause until it was finished." Then, when Mulla Husayn begged the
> Bab to be permitted to leave, the clock registered two hours and
> ten minutes after sunset. The Bab smilingly said, "Should you
> leave in such a state surely whoever sees you will say, 'This poor
> youth has lost his mind.'"
> 
> The Bab told him, "I am the Bab (meaning the Gate) and you are
> the Babu'l-Bab" (meaning a gate to the Gate.)   It is interesting
> that the Bab did not declare to Mulla Husayn that He was the Qa'im
> which was obvious. Right then and there, by adopting the title
> of the Gate, He alluded to the coming of a greater Manifestation.
> After supper they sat up all night with Mulla Husayn taking in
> every word uttered by the Bab. At dawn Mulla Husayn was dismissed.
> That night the Bab instructed Mulla Husayn not to breath his
> discovery to anyone until seventeen more people would independently
> discover and recognize the Bab. He alluded to His oncoming trip
> to Mecca after the completion of the first eighteen disciples,
> and also instructed Mulla Husayn to go to the mosque which he had
> chosen for lodging and teach Islamic courses.
> 
> It took forty days before the next person discovered the Bab, and
> in about three months, their number reached eighteen.       These
> eighteen disciples were called the Letters of the Living, one of
> whom has a woman named Tahirih.
> 
> On several occasions, the Bab sent His servant to the mosque to
> invite Mulla Husayn who joyously accompanied him, and every time
> sat up all night in the presence of the Bab until the break of
> day. In those forty days Mulla Husayn's lectures were like a magnet
> to the divines and theological students, not knowing what the source
> was. Of course, when the Bab's Faith came to open, his fame became
> a liability for him a couple years later when he returned to Eiraz.
> 
> It is safe to assume that with Mulla Husayn's depth in Islamic
> holy writings he was expecting another Manifestation, and the Bab's
> assuming the title of the Gate further confirmed it. Did he ever
> wonder if that Manifestation was born or not?    No one knows, but
> he did not have to wait too long to find out.
> 
> The seventeenth Letter of the Living was a woman called Tahirih.
> The last one, called Quddus, was also a student of Siyyid Kazim
> and nine years younger than Mulla Husayn. Being the last disciple
> or younger is meaningless in the realm of spirit. His discovery
> of the Bab was as exciting as was his life, superior rank and
> martyrdom. After the seventeenth disciple was accepted by the
> Bab, He said, 'ITomorrow the eighteenth will join us." The next
> day as Mulla Husayn was following a few steps behind the Bab, he
> met the twenty-two-year-old Quddus who just had arrived from a
> long journey. Knowing each other from school days, they embraced.
> Quddus asked Mulla Husayn, "Have you found the object of your
> quest?" Mulla Husayn was not at liberty to reveal the secret, so
> he gave a vague answer. Suddenly the traveller said, "Why do you
> try to hide Him from me. He is no one but that Man," and pointed
> to the back of the Bab who by then had walked a little distance.
> Mulla Husayn pleaded with him to calm down until he could enlighten
> him. Mulla Husayn hastened and joined the Bab. When he reported
> what Quddus said, the Bab said that in the world of spirit, He
> had been communing with that youth, and to go and summon him.
> 
> For your information, only three of the disciples or followers
> of the Bab during His ministry recognized the identity of
> Baha'u'llah.   They were Mulla Husayn, Tahirih and Quddus. All
> drank the cup of martyrdom, but their short and extraordinary lives
> adorn the pages of history.
> 
> Before opening the next chapter in the life of Mulla Husayn, the
> following information is timely. Baha'u'llah was two years older
> than the Bab, and lived in the capital city of Tehran. His given
> name was Mirza Husayn- Ali, the middle son of a prominent and noble
> man. The mysterious and spiritual connection between Baha'u'llah
> and the Bab, although the two never physically met, is beyond
> explanation and our comprehension.
> 
> To continue the story, soon after the eighteenth disciple joined
> the Letters of the Living, the Bab revealed a tablet for each,
> and instructed them to disperse and spread the Word. The first
> and the last had the bounty of the greatest honor; one to accompany
> Him for pilgrimage to Mecca where He would declare His Cause
> publicly, and the other on a special mission to Tehran. I let
> you guess for a couple seconds which one He chose to be with Him
> on His long journey to Mecca.
> 
> One clue might help or mislead you. Do you remember at the night
> of His Declaration, the Bab told Mulla Husayn about His oncoming
> pilgrimage after the eighteenth person would complete the Letters
> of the Living, and Mulla Husayn was counting on being His companion.
> Well! The following statement addressed to Mulla Husayn by the
> Bab will give us the answer, ''Grieve not that you have not been
> chosen to accompany Me on My pilgrimage to Hijaz (meaning Arabia.)
> I shall, instead, direct your steps to that city which enshrines
> a Mystery of such transcendent holiness as neither Hijaz nor a i r a z
> can hope to rival." Hijaz and a i r a z in the last sentence referred
> to Islam and the Bab's Faith. Also He had told Mulla Husayn,
> "A secret lies hidden in Tehran. When made manifest, it shall
> turn the earth into paradise. My hope is that you may partake
> of its grace and recognize its splendor." As we shall see, later
> Mulla Husayn did recognize Baha'u'llah and partake of His grace.
> 
> Mulla Husayn left Shiraz with the assignment to visit a few cities
> on his way to ~ e h G n ,and then to proceed to his native province
> of Khurasan. The thoughts of "I wish He had chosen me to go to
> ~ e c c 7or "I wonder what happened that the Bab chose Quddus as
> His companion" never troubled Mulla Husayn.    Absolute faith means
> absolute submission. May we all attain to some degree of it.
> 
> At his first stop in Isfahan, where a few years earlier he had
> gained the support of a prominent clergyman for his teacher, the
> situation was different. His words not only fell on deaf ears,
> but antagonized some fanatics, who fortunately were unable to harm
> him. His first convert was the lowly sifter of wheat who was
> immortalized by his steadfastness and heroism. Bahalu'llah praises
> him in the Kitab-i-Aqdas.
> 
> After going through couple more cities and converting a number
> of people, he arrived in Tehran, the mysterious city. You should
> know that the Bab had sent with Mulla Husayn a package containing
> His commentary on the chapter of Joseph to be delivered to the
> person for whom it was intended. No name or address on it.
> Remember, one of the Babls final words was, "I shall direct your
> steps." Mulla Husayn had full confidence in the force which guided
> him to Shiraz, and now to the mysterious receiver of the package.
> All he had to do was his day-to-day best decisions and leave the
> rest to God. If all of us do the same, we will be content and
> happier beings.
> 
> Well! What better place to lodge than a theological school where
> the leader of the -    - community was an instructor. -
> Shaykhi                                     -
> Shaykhis
> were the followers of the two great teachers, -       - Ahmad and
> Shaykh
> Siyyid Kazim. Visiting the instructor in his room at the school,
> Mulla Husayn gave him the news of the advent of the Bab and brought
> forth valid arguments and proofs to which the instructor gave
> evasive answers. When he found himself at the dead end, he became
> abusive by telling Mulla Husayn, "Instead of protecting the best
> interests of the followers of Siyyid Kazim, you have betrayed his
> cause, and with such subversive claims you easily could destroy
> what is left of the -    - community in Tehran."
> Shaykhi                           Mulla Husayn
> assured him that he had no intention of staying long in Tehran.
> During those days of his stay in that city, Mulla Husayn would
> leave his room early in the morning and would return after sunset,
> keeping a low profile. The Hand of Providence had placed everything
> in the right place for the accomplishment of his mission.
> 
> There was a man by the name of Mulla Muhammad-i-Mu allim, residing
> in that school who was a native of Nur, Baha'u'llah's ancestral
> hometown.   Mulla Muhammad was very closely associated with the
> arrogant instructor. Matter of fact, his room was next to the
> instructor's room, and he had overheard the whole conversation
> of Mulla Husayn and the instructor.    Being deeply touched by the
> sincerity, fluency and learning of Mulla Husayn, he ventured to
> meet Mulla Husayn at the hour of midnight when everyone else was
> asleep. He states, "Mulla Husayn did not expect me, but responded
> to my knocking at his door and received me with kindness and
> courtesy. I found him sitting by a lamp, reading. I was so dis-
> appointed and upset with the behavior of my friend, the instructor,
> but until that moment I had concealed it. I unburdened my heart
> to him, and as I spoke tears flowed from my eyes which I could
> not repress."
> 
> Mulla Husayn said, "Now I know why I have chosen this school for
> lodging." No, the recipient of the package is still a mystery
> to Mulla Husayn. He told the visitor, "Your teacher strongly
> rejected the message. My hope is that his student may recognize
> the truth." Now we are getting close! Mulla Husayn asked him,
> What is your name?" He answered, "Mulla Muhammad, but I am known
> as Mu allim (meaning teacher.)   My home town is Nur in the province
> of Mazindaran." Well, well, how perfect!      Mulla Husayn, who had
> heard about Baha'u'llah's father who was a famous man of nobility,
> became curious. He asked Mu allim, "Tell me, among the family
> of the late Mirza Buzurg from Nur has anyone manifested the traits
> of that illustrious man?" The answer was, "Yes, among his sons,
> one son, Mirza Husayn-Ali, has distinguished himself with such
> qualities that characterized his father." He questioned Mu allim
> further about that son's position, activities and age. Every answer
> caused such a delight in Mulla Husayn which surprised Mu allim.
> His face beaming with joy, he asked Mu allim if he saw Mirza Husayn-
> Ali often. Mu'allim said he frequently visited their house. Then
> Mulla Husayn reached for the scroll, and asked him if he would
> deliver it to Mirza Husayn- Ali at the hour of dawn the next day.
> As you know from the details in other talks, it was done, and
> Baha'u'llah accepted the Faith of the Bab, and sent gifts through
> Mu'allim for Mulla Husayn. Upon the return of Mu allim, Mulla
> Husayn jumped to his feet and listened to what transpired. With
> bowed head, he received the gift and fervently kissed it. Then
> he kissed Mu allim's eyes which had beheld the face of the Mystery
> which the Bab had alluded to. He asked Mu allim for complete
> secrecy about what transpired, lest any harm might come to Mirza
> Husayn-'Ali. Mu'allim became a believer, and later on, as one of
> Shaykh
> the defenders of the Fort -   - Tabarsi, was martyred.
> 
> Meanwhile, the Bab had delayed his departure for pilgrimage until
> Mulla Husayn's report on this mission reached Him. Mulla Husayn
> immediately left for his home province, and from there sent the
> report the Bab had been waiting for. The Bab was with Quddus in
> Shiraz when He received the letter. With joy, He told Quddus,
> -
> "The Cause of God is in capable hands; therefore, we can start
> our journey." Such spiritual connection and interaction not only
> stagger's one's mind, but also makes us realize the greatness of
> the station of Mulla Husayn who was the chosen instrument in the
> hands of the Almighty.
> 
> His coming that close to Baha'u'llah fortified Mulla Husayn. His
> converts in Khurasan were the most learned divines, none of whom
> could challenge his arguments. One such influential man dedicated
> his home for debates between Mulla Husayn and the divines of
> Mashhad, the capital of that province. After the tragic death
> of-~ulla Husayn, Quddus appointed this man to become the leader
> of the defenders of the Fort which ended with his martyrdom.
> 
> While Mulla Husayn was actively teaching in Mashhad a communique
> had reached all the Babis from the Bab that H    Ywould return to
> Iran by way of Karbila. Such a message brought joy to those who
> were in Karbila, such as Tahirih, Mulla Husayn's mother and sister
> and others. Other believers, such as Mulla Husayn, took advantage
> of it for reunion with their Beloved, the Bab. After all, it had
> been a year or more since he saw the Bab. Then a letter from the
> Bab reached the believers, that due to circumstances, His plan
> was changed and they should all go to Isfahan and wait for further
> instructions.
> Mulla Husayn, while travelling towards Karbila, did not know about
> the new instruction. At one stop, he heard about the change in
> plan from believers, and joined them in their travel to Isfahan.
> Mulla Husayn advised the large number of believers to enter the
> city in small numbers to avoid suspicion and alarm of the
> authorities. A few days after their arrival in Isfahan, a shocking
> news came that the city of Shiraz was in a state of violent
> agitation, and all manner of communication with the Bab was cut
> off.   The message warned them about the danger awaiting the
> Shiraz.
> followers who tried to enter -
> 
> Mulla Husayn, quite undaunted by such news, decided to go to g i r a z
> and confided his intentions to a few trusted companions. He
> discarded his turban and robe and put on layman's clothes and hat.
> As he, his brother and nephew were approaching the gate of airaz,
> he sent his brother in advance, so at the dead of night he would
> reach the Bab's uncle and inform him of Mulla Husayn's arrival.
> Several times at night Mulla Husayn attained the presence of the
> Bab at His uncle's house.    As you recall, the Bab was under house
> arrest at His home which adjoined His uncle's house. As before,
> the meetings would last until the daybreak.
> 
> Mulla Husayn's layman's disguise worked when passing through the
> gate, but he was well-known in the circle of divines, who for three
> months had listened eagerly to his inspiring lectures until they
> discovered that he was a follower of the Bab.     The clamor of the
> people against him intensified to such a degree that the Bab
> instructed him to return to his province of -   Khurasan, which he
> did.
> 
> In Mashhad, the provincial capital, his untiring teaching efforts
> brought row upon row of high and low under the banner of the Cause.
> Now the winter of 1847 was approaching, nearly three years after
> the Declaration of the Bab. The Bab was imprisoned in the fortress
> of Mah-Ku, and in Mahhad, Mulla Husayn's prestige and influence
> became well-known. During those days, because of corruption and
> ineptness of the central government, uprisings of strong men were
> common across the country. One such uprising occurred in that
> year in -
> Khurasan under the leadership of a strong man called Salar.
> 
> Soon Mulla Husayn sensed that Salar was planning to approach him
> for recruiting him and the rest of the followers in rebellion
> against the government. Mulla Husayn's sudden and unannounced
> departure from Mashhad took place in the middle of the night when
> he and his attendGt, Qambar- Ali, left the city on foot.         They
> directed their steps towards Tehran with eventual destination of
> the Fortress of Mah-Ku, where the Bab was incarcerated. The next
> morning when the believers found him gone, they took the main road
> on their horses, and overtook Mulla Husayn.      Seeing him and his
> attendant walking, they offered horses and provisions, but he told
> them his pledge was to walk those hundreds of miles all the way.
> 
> In different towns, Mulla Husayn was enthusiastically received
> by the believers.     In Tehran he was visited by Baha'u'llah's
> brother, Mirza Musa, who secretly ushered him into the presence
> of Baha'u'llah.    Just imagine the joy and palpitation of Mulla
> Husayn's heart! His title was Babu'l-Bab, or the gate to the Gate.
> He was the first to recognize the Gate, or the Bab. Now he was
> going to actually see the Mystery beyond the Gate. He did not
> know who his host was when he accompanied the Bab to His house
> where the Declaration took place, but this time, he knew who Mirza
> Husayn- Ali really was. No doubt Mulla Husayn's knees felt weak
> under the immensity of that momentous visit. One can easily assume
> that the secrecy of the visit was to keep the identity of
> Baha'u'llah concealed. Mulla Husayn, at that time, had the highest
> rank among the Babis, and Baha'u'llah was only a distinguished
> nobleman. If some believers had been present in that meeting and
> had seen Mulla Husayn prostrate at the feet of Baha'u'llah, it
> could have prematurely revealed the identity of Baha'u'llah.
> 
> Soon after that visit, he and his attendant walked towards
> Mah-Ku. The total distance they walked from Mashhad to Mah-Ku was
> approximately 900 miles or about 1,500 kilometers. The steep
> mountains and mud and snow did not slow them down. The night before
> Naw-Ruz of 1848, that memorable year, Ali-Khan, the mellowed warden
> of the fortress of Mah-Ku, saw a delighgul dream. He states,
> "In my dream I was startled by the sudden message that Muhammad,
> the Prophet, was soon to arrive at Mah-Ku, and directly go to the
> fortress to visit the Bab, and offer His congratulation on the
> advent of Naw-Ruz. With such a message, I ran out to meet Him,
> and, at a distance from town, saw two men walking towards me.
> I thought one was Muhammad and the other a companion. I bent to
> kiss the hem of His garment, when I suddenly woke up. The vividness
> of that dream left no doubt that it was a true vision."
> 
> Immediately he got up, did his ablution and prayer, put on his
> finest attire and perfumed himself. It was before sunrise when
> he began to walk to the spot which he had seen in his dream. His
> stableman, as instructed, saddled three of his best horses, and
> followed him. The sun was just rising when he reached the bridge,
> and, with throbbing of his heart, he saw the same two people he
> had seen in his dream walking towards him.      He relates, "I fell
> on the feet of the one whom I thought was the Prophet and kissed
> his feet. I begged him and his companion to mount the horses which
> I had prepared for them but the answer was 'No, I have vowed to
> accomplish the whole of my journey on foot. I will walk to the
> summit of this mountain, and there will visit your Prisoner."'
> 
> With this experience, Ali-Khan's devotion to the Bab increased
> immensely, and he followed the two on foot. Maybe this was the
> first and last climbing for him as he was not used to climbing
> the mountain on foot. There, at the gate was a sight to behold.
> The Bab was at the gate to receive Mulla Husayn, as if He had
> received the message of his arrival. As you have witnessed in
> the histories of the Bab and Baha'u'llah, their knowledge was all-
> encompassing with no need for physical communication.
> 
> Mulla Husayn bowed before his Lord, and stood motionless as the
> Bab opened His arms and embraced him. Then the believers staying
> in the town were summoned to the chamber to celebrate, in the
> presence of the Bab, the fourth Naw-Ruz after His Declaration.
> Dishes of cookies and fruit were spread before them which the Bab
> Himself handed to the believers one by one. Food from heaven!
> 
> Up to that time, only the Bab's scribe and attendant, who were
> brothers, were staying day and night with Him. After the mellowing
> of the warden, Ali-Khan, through the will of the Bab, the followers
> had access to the ~ a c d u r i nthe
> ~ day. On that Naw-Ruz day, however,
> Ali-Khan told the Bab that he had no will of his own, and if the
> Bab desired, Mulla Husayn could spend the nights there as well.
> 
> One day from the roof of the castle, the Bab looked towards the
> west, and as He saw the Araxes River winding its course, He told
> Mulla Husayn, "This is the river that the poet Hafiz referred to
> a few centuries ago. Didn't he say, ' 0 zephyr! Should you pass
> by the river Araxes, kiss the earth and make your breath fragrant."'
> Then the Bab stated that by the influence of the Holy Spirit words
> such as these flow from the tongue of poets, the significance of
> which they themselves oftentime do not comprehend. Then the Bab
> referred to another poetry stating, "Shiraz will be thrown into
> a tumult, a youth of sugar tongue wil'i-appear. I fear that the
> flow of his words will agitate Bahdad." In retrospect we easily
> can tell that this was referring to the Declaration of the Bab
> in Shiraz and Bahalu'llah in Ba&dad.        However, at that time,
> the T a b told Mulla Husayn, "The mystery within this poem is now
> concealed. It will be revealed in 1852."       It was in 1852 when
> Baha'u'llah received His intimation in the Siyah-gal dungeon,
> and in a couple months was exiled to Bahdad.
> 
> Another interesting incidence was the wish of Ali-Khan, the warden,
> to have the Bab marry his daughter. Ali-Khan h a d a beautiful
> daughter whom the crown prince wished to marryas one of his wives.
> -
> Ali-Khan  did not favor the idea, and said the relatives of his
> wife, who were Sunni, would be so furious about that idea that
> they immediately would kill him and his daughter. You should know
> that in Mah-Ku area, everyone was of the Sunni sect of Islam, a
> minority only in Iran and Iraq. The hatred between the two major
> sects of Islam, Shi'ih and Sunni, began right after the passing
> of Muhammad. The Bab was of the Shi'ih sect, and that was the
> reason he was imprisoned there by the prime minister, so no one
> would have mercy on Him or His followers.
> 
> A number of times he begged the Bab, who was about twenty-eight
> years old, to honor him with acceptance, but the Bab did not
> consent. Now while the esteemed Mulla Husayn was there, Ali-Khan
> asked him to intercede on his behalf. Again the Bab deniedhis
> request. His beloved wife, Khadijih Bagum, in Shiraz, was in
> constant anxiety, not knowinr what was happeninr to the Bab.
> As you recall, on His last day in airaz, arrested by the police,
> the Bab was not given the opportunity to say farewell to His wife
> or mother.
> 
> Well, the final day which was the ninth day after Naw-Ruz, and
> - was planning to host
> the last hour arrived. No doubt, Ali-Khan
> Mulla Husayn in his fine home, and offer his two best horses and
> all provisions needed for their comfortable ride home. However,
> the Bab told Mulla Husayn these parting words, "You have walked
> on foot all the way from your native land, and on foot you shall
> return. For the days of your horsemanship are yet to come. You
> are destined to exhibit such courage, such skill and heroism as
> shall eclipse the mightiest deeds of the heroes of the past. Visit
> many towns and cities on My behalf, and convey the expression of
> My love to all. From Tehran direct your steps towards Mazindaran
> where God's hidden Treasure will be made manifest to you and the
> nature of your task will be revealed to you."
> 
> Mulla Husayn started out at once, and refused the kind invitation
> of Ali-Khan as there was no time to be wasted.         Ali-Khan, the
> formerly stone-hearted and ruthless warden, had never experienced
> such spiritual light, but he had to be tested. First was the Bab's
> refusal to marry his daughter, now Mulla Husayn declined to spend
> a few days as his guest, but worse was yet to come in eleven days.
> As the Bab had foretold to Mulla Husayn, twenty days after Naw-Ruz
> by the order of the desparate prime minister, He was transferred
> to a fortress on another mountain.      The ice cold heart of that
> tyrant warden within nine months had melted, and while pulsating
> with the love of the Bab, it had to break.       Through what other
> power except the Holy Spirit, could the Bab have influenced the
> people. Matter of fact, the officer in charge of his short transfer
> from one fortress to the other became a dedicated believer.      One
> can say it was like a miracle, but to attribute a miracle as a
> proof of a Manifestation, according to Baha'u'llah, is degrading
> His station, so let us obey His injunction and ponder in our hearts.
> 
> Mulla Husayn inspired the hearts of the believers on his walk
> towards Tehran. There, for the second time, he had the bounty
> of attaining the presence of Baha'u'llah.   That was the needed
> spiritual charge for his upcoming mission to face the fierce
> assaults in the closing months of his life.     All along during
> his long walk, his soul was in constant communion, his thoughts
> occupied with one question, what would God's hidden Treasure be,
> the Treasure which would guide his steps. Hadn't the Bab said,
> I'
> You will find it in Mazindaran." After Tehran he proceeded to
> Mazindaran. The only one he knew there was Quddus, then about
> twenty-six years old. Was it possible that during those months
> of Quddus's companionship with the Bab, the Bab had given him His
> writings for what was yet to unfold?       What could that treasure
> be? He had no doubt about its unfoldment before his eyes, but
> his legs could not carry him fast enough on the rough roads,
> climbing the mountain range north of Tehran. As the slopes towards
> the Caspian Sea began, lush vegetation and trees surrounded the
> road, and the air was perfumed with various blossoms.            He
> approached the city of Babul where Quddus was residing.
> 
> Finally, he reached the house of Quddus.   What a sight! The first
> and the last Letters of the Living embracing each other. Quddus
> affectionately welcomed Mulla Husayn, and washed his blistered
> feet with his own hands. That evening Quddus invited the believers
> to his house to meet the honorable Mulla Husayn, and hear the glad
> tidings of his recent visit to the Bab. As you recall, Quddus
> never saw the Bab again after their pilgrimage. The parting words
> of the Bab to Quddus three years earlier were, "The hour of
> separation has struck, a separation which no reunion will follow,
> except in the Kingdom of God in the presence of the King of Glory."
> The Bab also assured Quddus that he would attain the presence of
> Him Who is the object of our adoration and love, meaning
> Baha'u'llah.
> 
> As the believers arrived, they found Quddus at the threshold
> ushering them into the presence of Mulla Husayn, occupying the
> seat of honor. He truly was a fresh spirit to those longing to
> hear news of the Bab. After the believers left, Quddus asked Mulla
> Husayn if the Bab had sent any of His writings with him. Although
> this was the customary treasure that visitors would carry back,
> this time the answer was no. Upon hearing this, Quddus handed
> a manuscript to Mulla Husayn and asked him to read a few passages.
> As soon as Mulla Husayn had read a page, a sudden change of
> admiration and surprise appeared on his face. With utmost praise,
> he laid the manuscript down and said, "This is way beyond ordinary
> learning." Soon, from the silence of Quddus when questioned about
> the writer, Mulla Husayn realized that his host, Quddus, was the
> writer. Mulla Husayn arose, and with bowed head declared, "The
> Hidden Treasure lies before my eyes. Though my Master is confined
> in a fortress on the mountaintop, I find the reflection of His
> light in you. "
> Mulla Husayn, that matchless man of great learning, with the highest
> station, well-respected by all , knew how his learning was nothing
> when he saw the Bab on the day of His Declaration, and now again
> disregarding his own seniority and erudition, appreciated the
> significance of God-given virtues and knowledge manifested in
> Quddus. He pledged his undying loyalty to Quddus who so powerfully
> mirrored forth the radiance of the Bab. The remaining months of
> Mulla Husayn's life were spent in obedience to Quddus, constantly
> striving to ensure his safety and welfare.
> 
> How fascinating to see the absence of ego, pride and arrogance
> in those chosen ones of God. May we strive to attain some degree
> of it. As the essence of greatness is humility, Mulla Husayn was
> the embodiment of it. The next morning when the believers came
> to visit, to their surprise, they saw the honorable Mulla Husayn
> standing at the threshold in an attitude of humility, and Quddus
> was in the seat of honor. The first assignment given to Mulla
> Husayn, in the presence of the assembled believers, was to pay
> a visit to the notorious and tyrant divine, Sa idu'l-Ulama, a bitter
> and vocal enemy of the Cause, and try to open his eyes to the truth
> of the Cause. Then Mulla Husayn should proceed to Khurasan, his
> home province, and in Ma&had,   its capital, build a h G s e for both
> a private residence and to serve as a teaching center.
> 
> The next day at dawn Mulla Husayn visited that arrogant priest,
> who in learning was no match to the great ones Mulla Husayn had
> challenged a few years earlier. Before the assemblage of the
> divine's disciples, Mulla Husayn defeated every argument which
> he presented to refute the truth of the Cause. Fearful that all
> of his disciples should unanimously rally around Mulla Husayn,
> he stooped to the meanest device of foul and abusive language.
> Mulla Husayn, having done his duty, left with these words, "My
> deeds will, in the days to come, prove to you the power of the
> Message you have chosen to despise." The divine became speechless
> and utterly confounded.
> 
> Mulla Husayn immediately left for Maahad, and soon bought a piece
> of land on which he built a house, and gave it the name llBabiyyih."
> Shortly after it was completed, as promised, Quddus arrived in
> Mashhad, and together they lived in that house. A steady stream
> ofTisitors whom Mulla Husayn had prepared for the acceptance of
> the Cause, poured in to attain the presence of Quddus, and
> acknowledging the truth of the Cause, willingly enlisted under
> its banner. The combination of the efforts of these two greatest
> stars of the Faith brought ever-increasing number of believers
> into the fold, and gave rise to a wave of enthusiasm which swept
> over the entire city of Mashhad, with its effect spreading rapidly
> beyond the province. The Babiyyih house became a rallying center
> for a multitude, fired with the love of the Bab. Well, friends,
> such an achievement is not beyond our reach.          May we arise
> resolutely, and with trust in Baha'u'llah's unfailing assistance,
> raise such centers and make each city or town another Mahhad.
> 
> Now the summer of 1848 is approaching, with excitement filling
> the air.    To name a few major events, there was the Bab's
> examination in Tabriz in front of the leading divines and the crown
> prince, where He boldly pronounced, "I am, I am, I am the promised
> Qa'im," eliminating any doubt as to His claim. Another one, the
> conference of Badasht, hosted by Baha'u'llah,           where Tahirih
> appeared without a veil, and under Baha ' u ' llah ' s leadership, all
> ties with Islam were torn away. And, of course, the remarkable
> events in Fort -    - Tabarsi. The first two events are mentioned
> Shaykh
> in other talks, but this one is all about the indomitable Mulla
> Husayn and the defenders of -   - Tabarsi.
> Shaykh
> 
> Such fervor and enthusiasm in the city of Mashhad could not escape
> the attention of the clergy and the authoritiG who became alarmed.
> Its prolongation could have meant total conversion of the holy
> city of Mashhad, the province of -Khurasan, and, who knows, probably
> the whole yountry and beyond.      It had to be checked at once.
> Unfortunately, for ages, new concepts and ideas have always been
> faced with physical suppression which ultimately fails.
> 
> To intimidate Mulla Husayn, the police chief decided to deliver
> a severe blow to him and the followers as a warning to curb their
> activities. His men arrested Mulla Husayn's servant, called Hasan,
> pierced his nose, pulled a cord through the hole and with that
> halter, paraded him on the streets with jubilant mob following
> and cheering. Hearing about such insult, the indignation and rage
> of the followers knew no bounds.    Mulla Husayn, quite concerned
> about the reaction of the new believers and the serious
> consequences, tried to reason with them and calm them, but to no
> avail. The first group of followers, heading to rescue Hasan,
> raised the cry of "Ya Sahibu'z-Zaman," meaning 0 Lord of the Age,
> referring to the Qa'im.    This was the first cry which would be
> repeated numerous times in the months ahead....          Their cry
> reverberated in the city, and soon cries from various corners shook
> the people. In a short time, Hasan was rescued and the enemies
> were struck down.
> 
> You remember from earlier part of this talk that the rebellious
> Salar wished to recruit Mulla Husayn and his men, which was a
> reason for his leaving on foot to see the Bab.   Well! That uprising
> was put down by Prince Hamzih Mirza, the governor general of
> -
> Khurasan, whose camp was still standing in the outskirts of Mashhad,
> ready to act. Hearing all about what happened that day could not
> be tolerated by the prince, who decided to nip it in the bud.
> He issued an order for immediate arrest of Mulla Husayn and to
> be brought to his presence. A little too strong! The prince had
> witnessed heavy bloodshed ending Salar's uprising.      Now, no one
> could be spared in order to keep peace and quiet.
> 
> Could the prince's act be considered rash, or was it guided by
> the Hand of Providence? The captain of the prince's artillery,
> a badly needed man, became the instrument. His name, which history
> shall remember, was Abdu'l-'Ali Khan Marahiyi.        He told the
> prince, "I consider myself a devoted admirer of Mulla Husayn.
> You should take my life before contemplating any harm or even
> disrespect to him. " The prince, greatly embarrassed, said, "I,
> too, have met Mulla Husayn and cherish the utmost devotion to him.
> All I wish to do is to quiet the unrest while protecting his
> person."   Then the prince, in his own handwriting, wrote an
> invitation to Mulla Husayn, and ordered his own ornamented tent
> to be raised for the reception of his guest.
> 
> When the letter was delivered to Mulla Husayn, he read it and handed
> it to Quddus for his advice. Quddus said, "Accept the invitation,
> -
> but for myself, tonight I will leave Mashhad   for my home province
> of Mazindaran. By God's will you, too, later on at the head of
> a large3 company of the believers, under the Black Standard, will
> leave Mashhad to join me. " The mysterious interconnection here
> is fascinating. In those days telegram and instant electronic
> communications were not available, but the world of spirit
> superceded them all.   When Quddus said those words about the Black
> Standard, a messenger had already left the fortress of Chihriq,
> where the Bab was imprisoned hundreds of miles away, with the same
> message from the Bab to Mulla Husayn.
> 
> As the course of history shows, Quddus was informed about
> -
> Baha'u'llah's intention to go to the resort village of Badasht,
> and therefore he joined Baha'u'llah and Tahirih there.
> 
> Prince Hamzih Mirza, in whose camp Mulla Husayn was graciously
> hosted, later became the governor general of Adhirbayjan and refused
> the order to execute the Bab. He was an honorxle man.
> 
> It was in July of 1848, when after a short stay, Mulla Husayn left
> the camp with a plan that in one week he was to proceed to Karbila.
> The prince offered money for his expenses which he declined, asking
> the prince to spend it on the poor. The devoted captain of the
> artillery, Abdu'l-'Ali Khan, also expressed eagerness to pay for
> the expenses of Mulla ~ y s a ~and
> n whoever he decided to take with
> him. Also, he sent a sword and a horse as a gift.      Mulla Husayn
> declined the money, but kept the sword and the horse. This sword
> became the most unique in history, and the horse, practically
> indestructible. With Mulla Husayn's fame and popularity, his house
> was besieged by eager people wishing the honor of accompanying
> him.
> 
> Suddenly, the explicit command from the Bab in the mountain prison
> arrived. A messenger from the Bab arrived bringing the Bab's own
> turban and the new name of Siyyid Ali for Mulla Husayn with this
> message, "Adorn your head with My green turban, the emblem of My
> lineage, and with the Black Standard unfurled before you, hasten
> to Mazindaran and lend your assistance to My beloved Quddus."
> You see, Quddus at that time was at Badasht, but the Bab, weeks
> before, knew that Quddus soon would be arrested and confined.
> What else except the all-encompassing knowledge of a Manifestation
> of God!
> 
> Mulla Husayn, at once, arose to execute the wishes of his Master.
> He left Maahad, and, a few miles away from the city, hoisted the
> Black Standard, put his Master's turban on his head, and gave the
> signal to his two hundred and two companions to march towards
> for the great trials ahead should return now."  At another stopping
> point he gave stronger warning with these words, "I, with seventy-
> two of my companions, shall suffer death for the sake of the
> Well-Beloved." Twenty of those men chose to return.
> 
> Another time he told his companions, "Leave behind all your
> belongings except your swords and horses, so all may witness that
> you have no desire for your property, or that of others." The
> allegiance of the men was unconditional, and their obedience without
> hesitation. The father of Badi who had a small sack of choicest
> turquoise opened it, and flung the precious stones on the roadside.
> The rest followed his example.
> 
> As you shall see, the number of companions increased to over three
> hundred, because after the conference of Badasht, most of the
> participants joined Mulla Husayn.
> 
> You might wonder why they had a black flag waving over their heads.
> There is a prophecy from Muhammad which states, "Should you see
> the Black Standard proceed from Burasan, hasten to it, even if
> you have to crawl on snow, because it proclaims the advent of the
> Promised One."   It is awesome to realize that Muhammad appeared
> in Arabia more than twelve hundred years earlier when Iran was
> an independent, prosperous nation enjoying the prestige of the
> Sassanid Dynasty. At that time, no one could fathom its defeat
> by the nomads of Arabia under the banner of Islam, and yet Muhammad
> mentioned the Black Standard from -
> Khurasan, a province in Iran.
> 
> You need to know that soon after the conference of Badakt, Tahirih
> was arrested and sent to Tehran, and Quddus was captured and
> confined at the house of the leading clergy in the city of Sari.
> 
> The mandate the Bab gave to Mulla Husayn stated, "Go to the
> assistance of My beloved Quddus." Obviously by this time, Mulla
> Husayn had learned about the confinement of Quddus in Sari, and
> that was where he and his companions were heading. They had to
> bypass Quddus's home town of Babul.
> 
> The news of their approach to Babul alarmed the notorious Sa'idu'l-
> Ulama who was in a rage. The popularity of Mulla Husayn in Mashhad,
> the discipline and large number of his companions under the-lack
> Mazindaran.   That memorable date was July 21, 1848, when it all
> began.
> 
> Wherever they stayed or passed through, fearlessly the message
> of the New Day was proclaimed, which brought new recruits, and
> selected people joined them. The father of Badi, who was a notable
> merchant and the son of the prestigious owner of the choicest
> turquoise mine, also enlisted under the banner of Mulla Husayn.
> The story of Badi and his father are recounted separately in the
> talk titled "The Mystery of Martyrdom." It is easy to say he joined
> Mulla Husayn, but only the fire of love and understanding was
> capable of detaching him from all worldly honors, wealth, and
> material comfort to take that step towards a destination, the altar
> of sacrifice.
> 
> Arriving at a place where the road divided, Mulla Husayn decided
> to camp for a few days. They used the shade of a very large tree
> by a running stream.     He told his companions, "We shall await
> the Bab's decree as to which road to take."    It was on the fourth
> day of September when a fierce gale struck down a large branch
> of that tree, whereupon Mulla Husayn said, "The tree of the
> sovereignty of Muhammad Shah was uprooted." Three days later a
> messenger, on his way to Mashhad, reported the death of the king.
> The next day the company mounted their horses.
> 
> Well, friends, the name of this game is not fame or fortune. The
> road's name is submission; its color, scarlet; and the destination,
> the sacred altar of sacrifice. The mystery of the mission, not
> simply the rescue of Quddus, but to leave an imperishable lustre
> on the pages of history about the literal force released by the
> power of the Holy Spirit. And, finally the most critical, the
> demand on those who took the road, an absolute and unshakeable
> conviction....   Are you ready to take the road, or rather watch
> those heroes through this window?
> 
> Leading the men, Mulla Husayn pointed in the direction of
> Mazindaran, and said, "This is the way that leads to our Karbila."
> For your information, the desert of Karbila was the site where
> Imam Husayn and seventy-two companions were defeated by Sunnis
> and brutally martyred.  It happened more than ten centuries before.
> Then Mulla Husayn repeated several times, "Whoever is unprepared
> Standard, were more than he could bear. So he dispatched criers
> to call all the people of Babul to attend the mosque for a vital
> and crucial announcement. An immense crowd of men and women packed
> the mosque. The fiend climbed to the pulpit, flung his turban
> on the ground, and tore open the neck of his shirt.    He shouted,
> "Wake up! The wreckers of Islam are coming to our very doors to
> wipe out all that we cherish as pure and holy in Islam.      It is
> your sacred duty that tomorrow at dawn, fully armed, confront them
> on the road, and exterminate them all."
> 
> The next day a few miles from Babul, Mulla Husayn and company
> encountered their enemies blocking the road. The multitude was
> fully equipped with arms and ammunition. The fierce expression
> of their faces and their foul language indicated their hostile
> and savage mood.
> 
> You can set the stage in your mind. Three hundred horsemen against
> a hostile crowd stretching as far as they could see. The companions
> reached for their swords, but Mulla Husayn commanded, "Not yet."
> He barely had given that order when the enemy began to fire at
> them. The companions became restless as six of them were hurled
> to the ground. Mulla Husayn told them, "The time has not yet come,
> the number is as yet incomplete." When a bullet pierced the chest
> of one of his devoted supporters who had walked all the way by
> his horse, Mulla Husayn raised his eyes to heaven and prayed, ending
> with these words, "I now arise with my companions to defend our
> lives against the assaults of the enemy."
> 
> It was as if Mulla Husayn was awaiting the countdown before the
> Holy Spirit blessed him with that mysterious superhuman power.
> He drew his sword and charged his horse into the midst of the
> crowd and downpour of bullets to pursue the man who shot the last
> companion. This man took refuge behind a tree, holding his musket
> gun to shield himself. With a single stroke of his sword, he cut
> across the tree, the barrel of the gun, and the body of that man.
> This is the truth, without exaggeration. When later the commander
> of the large royal army suffered a disgraceful defeat at the hands
> of a small band of Babis, and was reprimanded by the prime minister,
> he sent the half of the barrel of the gun cut by Mulla Husayn's
> sword, stating, "These are the kind of people our forces had to
> face." The prime minister, dumbfounded by receiving that evidence,
> realized that even their cannon power was unable to break what
> he called a "handful of young and contemptible students."
> Therefore, he stooped to treachery and fraud to destroy them.
> The story of that shameful betrayal will shock the world.
> 
> Anyway, the crowd witnessing that force, panic-stricken, fled and
> scattered out of sight into the forest.      The forementioned force
> of Mulla Husayn has also been reported by non-Baha'i historians
> who tried to minimize it by claiming that Mulla Husayn had excessive
> training in the use of sword and horsemanship during his youth.
> For your information, Mulla Husayn, a student of theology, spent
> his years acquiring true knowledge. His mastery, which won the
> admiration of the leading divines, even while a student, was his
> deep knowledge and sincerity of his expression.
> 
> According to a childhood friend, Mirza Muhammad-i-Furuai, who
> also fought shoulder to shoulder with him, but miraculously survived
> the final massacre, the weight of a pen was too much for the frail
> Mulla Husayn. Furu&i     relates, "I have known Mulla Husayn from
> childhood. I have never known him to be possessed of such strength.
> I even considered myself superior in strength. His hand trembled
> as he wrote, and he often expressed his inability to write as fully
> and as frequently as he wished. He was greatly handicapped in
> this respect, and he continued to suffer from its effect until
> his journey to Mazindaran. The moment he drew his sword to repulse
> that hostile crowd, a mysterious power seemed to have suddenly
> transformed him. He always was the first one to spring forward
> on his charger to face the combined forces of the opponent, and
> achieve the victory. His name, alone, was sufficient to strike
> terror into the hearts of the enemy, who panicked and fled. We,
> the companions, all were convinced that he had ceased to be the
> same Mulla Husayn we knew."
> 
> Furu&i   continues, "Mulla Husayn, after that memorable blow,
> disappeared from our sight. His attendant, who had followed him,
> later related that Mulla Husayn charged forward amidst the multitude
> of enemies, with bullets raining from all directions, and with
> strokes of his sword, he mowed down whoever was in his way ." He
> headed unharmed for the city of Babul, and straight to the home
> of that despicable fiend, Sa'idu'l-Ulama.      Mulla Husayn circled
> his house three times and cried out, "Let the coward who incited
> the holy war against us come out, and by example prove the sincerity
> of his appeal and the righteousness of his cause. Has he forgotten
> the requirement for the one who declares a holy war to be at the
> forefront of his followers?"    What a sight!
> 
> Soon the inhabitants surrounded Mulla Husayn, and begged for peace.
> At this moment, the followers were galloping towards Mulla Husayn.
> The cry of "Ya Sahibu'z-Zaman, shouted at the top of their voices,
> struck fear into the hearts of everyone. Heaven knows in what
> hole in his house that frightened mouse was hiding. When the
> followers saw Mulla Husayn unhurt, with a feeling of joy, they
> dismounted and kissed his stirrups.     Now it was in the afternoon
> when Mulla Husayn granted peace, telling the crowd, "Now you witness
> the ascendancy of the Faith of God. Except for a scratch on my
> face, I and my horse were protected by God from your brutal attack."
> 
> None of the companions had anything to eat or drink since dawn.
> Mulla Husayn led his men to a caravanserai. He sent a few men
> to get water and bread, but they came back empty-handed. They
> were denied both. Mulla Husayn assured them to put their trust
> in God, and ordered the gates of the caravanserai closed.
> 
> As the hour of sunset approached, he asked one of the companions
> to go on the roof and chant the customary call for prayer, called
> Adhzan. A youth gladly responded. No sooner had he uttered the
> £=st words, he fell by the fire of the enemy.    Mulla Husayn said,
> "Let another one among you arise and finish the Adhan." Another
> youth chanted a few more words, and suffered the same   .  When the
> third youth finished the call, he also was struck down.
> 
> Mulla Husayn ordered the gates opened. Leaping on horseback, he
> and his companions mowed down the assailants outside the gate,
> and made them disappear. No doubt left in their minds, the notables
> of the city, with the Qur'an in their hands, walked towards Mulla
> Husayn, who still was on his horse. They begged for mercy, and
> asked Mulla Husayn to permit them to say a few words. Mulla Husayn,
> observing their sincerity, dismounted his horse and invited them
> to sit with him, and ordered tea for them which none of the
> companions yet had. Mulla Husayn said, "We, unlike the people
> of this town, know how to receive the stranger."      The notables
> blamed everything on the notorious divine, and requested that by
> morning they leave for the next town. Then two of them arose,
> and swearing by the Qur'an which they brought, declared their
> intention to regard them as their guests that night, and the next
> day under heavy guard they would be escorted to the next town.
> 
> The attendants of the notables had already gone to fetch food for
> the companions and feed for their horses. The clock registered
> four hours after sunset when the companions, by permission of Mulla
> Husayn, broke their fast.   That had been a long day, only an intro-
> duction to what was yet to come.
> 
> At midnight, that cowardly divine summoned the commander of one
> hundred guardsmen. His name was Khusraw. He confided in him that
> at any time or place which he found right he must massacre the
> Babis, leaving no one alive to tell the story.   Khusraw obected
> to the plot, and said that these are godly peoplewho sacrificed
> three people trying to say the call to prayer.     The shameless
> man said, "I command you to slay them. The matters of religion
> are for me to decide. I will stand answerable at the day of
> judgment."
> The sun anxiously arose to witness another eventful and exciting
> day. The notables summoned Khusraw and told him that he must
> exercise utmost considerationa n d courtesy towards Mulla Husayn
> and his men, and refuse any reward. He pretended total submission,
> and assured them that he would bring a written note from Mulla
> Husayn as to his satisfaction about his services.    The notables
> took Khusraw and his men to the caravanserai to introduce them
> to ~ul% Husayn.
> 
> Mulla Husayn told Khusraw, "If you do well, great shall be your
> reward, but if you a c t treacherously, severe will be your punish-
> ment. We commit our Cause only to God, and are wholly resigned
> to His will." Mulla Husayn mounted the charger, and gave the signal
> for departure. His attendant, the one who had walked with him
> all the way to Mah-Ku, raised the call of his master, "Mount your
> steeds, 0 heroes of God!" a summons which would be raised over
> and over in the months to follow.
> 
> To implement his plan, Khusraw took them through forest. On that
> narrow road a few guardswere in front, followed by Mulla Husayn
> and    Khusraw riding side by side. As soon as the forest was
> Khusraw gave the code signal which was relayed to the
> guards at the tail end of the long line of the horsemen. Soon
> a few of the Babis were killed, and some captured.       As soon as
> the cry of agony reached Mulla Husayn's ears, he halted, dismounted
> and protested Khusrawls treacherous behavior.    Mulla Husayn said,
> It is way pasrnoon, and yet there is no sign of our destination
> which you promised us to reach at noon. I refuse to go any farther
> with you, and can dispense with your guidance and men."        Then
> Mulla Husayn told his attendant to spread his prayer-mat. Khusraw
> had also dismounted his horse.      As Mulla Husayn was doi! his
> ablution, Khusraw told one of his men to tell Mulla Husayn that
> if he wishTd to reach his destination he should deliver to him
> his sword and horse. Mulla Husayn received the message, but refused
> to answer and proceeded to offer his prayer.
> 
> Meanwhile, one of the companions, a man of erudition and courage,
> sensed the intrigue. He went to one of the attendants of Khusraw,
> who was preparing the water-pipe for &usraw, and asked if he could
> have the honor of taking it to &usraw.       He took the water-pipe
> to Khusraw who was resting by a tree. Pretending to bend and fix
> thecharcoal, he swiftly pulled out &usraw1s dagger, and killed
> him on the spot. Mulla Husayn was still in prayer when the cry
> of "Ya Sahibu'z-Zaman" was raised again, and in a short time all
> of the guards who were fully equipped with guns were struck down.
> The attendant of -
> Khusraw, who had given the water-pipe to a follower
> of Mulla Husayn, threw himself at the feet of Mulla Husayn, begging
> to be spared. Mulla Husayn accepted his plea and said, "One should
> live to tell the story."     He kindly gave him the jewel-studded
> water-pipe of Khusraw, and told him to tell the notables that
> -
> Khusraw had foolishly demanded his sword and horse, not realizing
> that their work had just begun.
> 
> As the night was approaching, they camped in an open spot nearby.
> Next sunrise Mulla Husayn told his men, "We are approaching our
> Karbila," which they understood its meaning. It meant the altar
> of sacrifice. When he saw some men carrying belongings of Busraw
> and his fallen men, he instructed them to discard them. He took
> a road no one was familiar with, but they all followed him on foot,
> leading their horses. In half an hour they reached the shrine
> of an Islamic saint called -    - Tabarsi. His resting place for
> Shaykh
> centuries has been reverently visited by Moslems of the area.
> You will find its photo on the insert with the photo of the famous
> sword of Mulla Husayn. The shrine is about fourteen miles or
> twenty-two kilometers from Babul where the road block was made.
> 
> The night before their arrival the custodian or caretaker of the
> shrine saw a very revealing dream. In it, he saw Imam Husayn,
> the third Imam, martyred centuries ago with seventy-two warriors,
> arrive at -    - Tabarsi with a number of companions. He saw Imam
> Shaykh
> Husayn engaged in most heroic battles there, triumphant every time;
> and, to the custodian's amazement, Muhammad, the Prophet, Himself,
> the maternal grandfather of Imam Husayn, joined them at the shrine.
> 
> Mulla Husayn, all along, had been praying for his steps to be
> guided, and here was the answer. The custodian at once recognized
> him as the hero in his dream, so he threw himself on his feet and
> kissed them. Somewhat startled about such a welcome, Mulla Husayn
> asked him to sit by his side, and listened to him relate his dream.
> Mulla Husayn told him, "All that you saw in your dream will come
> to pass, and the glorious scenes will be enacted." The custodian
> begged Mulla Husayn to be accepted as one of his companions, and
> eventually he was martyred there.
> 
> On the day of their arrival, Mulla Husayn gave instructions to
> the notable believer, who had built the Babiyyih in Maahad, to
> start plans for building a fort for their defense. They already
> were attacked twice, and nearly ambushed by the guards. The future
> was clear and ominous to Mulla Husayn who had come so close to
> rescue Quddus, but it wasn't to be a simple operation.
> 
> As the evening approached, they found themselves surrounded by
> a multitude of horsemen preparing to open fire upon them. They
> claimed to be inhabitants of the home village of Khusraw, the
> treacherous guard commander, and they had come to avenge his blood.
> The companions drew their swords again in self-defense, raising
> the cry of "Ya Sahibu'z-Zaman" and leaped onto their horses. So
> tremendous was the shout that the horsemen vanished as suddenly
> as they had appeared from the forest.     This defense was led by
> a companion who requested the honor from Mulla Husayn.      Fearing
> the return of the enemy, they pursued them until they reached a
> village which they thought was -
> Khusraw's village.   In the darkness
> of the night and with the confusion that ensued, the mother of
> the owner of the village was accidentally killed.         Soon the
> companions learned that it was not the village of Kusraw.       The
> leader ordered a halt, and when he ascertained that he and his
> men were led to the wrong village, he became agitated. His distress
> mounted when he heard about the death of the mother of Nazar m a n ,
> the owner of that village. This was quite heavy on his mind.
> The companions kept apologizing for the unfortunate mistake, but
> the leader decided to go to the home of Nazar &an        to explain
> everything, and by assuming the responsibility, offered himself
> to take any punishment. After all, the honor of Mulla Husayn and
> the rest of the followers of the Bab was at stake.
> 
> Before I tell you how everything was destined to happen for the
> unfolding of this drama, a clarifying comment is necessary. By
> hearing some of the details of this episode, some, particularly
> in the West, might consider the companions as a bunch of wild and
> sword-happy hoodlums who had fun engaging in war under the name
> of religion. No, not at all. Mulla Husayn and his companions
> were clerics, craftsmen, merchants and the like. They were more
> familiar with pen and paper than sword and horse. Carrying a sword
> in those days in Islamic tradition was not unusual, particularly
> when going on a mission and riding a horse. The Bab's Faith in
> its fourth year had not forbidden the use of sword in self-defense,
> but in 1863 Baha'u'llah, on the day of His Declaration, forbade
> it. Lastly, at no time did these defenders attack offensively
> to gain property or territory.
> 
> Only when they felt dangerously hemmed in, they unleashed their
> forces and repulsed the enemy. Matter of fact, during the siege
> of the fort at a later time, Quddus told the defenders that with
> the ascendency they had demonstrated over the massive royal army,
> people of that area were seeing the power of their Cause, and
> becoming willing to join them. He said that if he wished to
> declare a holy war, without doubt, they could conquer the whole
> country and beyond, but theirs was only to defend themselves against
> the onslaught of the enemy, and promote the Cause of God.
> 
> As the story unfolds, one cannot believe how intertwined the events
> were. You see, Mulla Husayn, on the day of their arrival at the
> shrine, instructed a believer to start building a fort.        They
> had discarded all their valuables at the beginning of the journey.
> To build a fort for protection as the first step, even before
> thinking of rescuing Quddus, was a big undertaking, particularly
> when they had no money, food or other provisions.     What they had
> was the most important asset, and that was their trust in God.
> 
> The last event in the story was that night when the leader of the
> companions went to the home of Nazar Khan, the owner of that
> village. He explained to Nazar Khan what had transpired, including
> the treachery of nusraw, and horthe people from his village were
> trying to avenge his blood. Although grief-stricken about his
> mother's death, Nazar &an  was so moved by what he heard that he
> invited the leader to spend the night at his home, and the next
> day take him to meet Mulla Husayn.  He also showed great interest
> to learn about a Cause which could enkindle such fervor in the
> hearts of its followers.
> 
> At the hour of dawn, the leader, accompanied by Nazar Khan, arrived
> at the shrine, and found Mulla Husayn leading the congregational
> prayer. Nazar m a n , without hesitation, joined the worshippers,
> and repeated every prayer that Mulla Husayn uttered. Now the leader
> had to tell Mulla Husayn about the tragic death of Nazar Khan's
> mother.   Mulla Husayn expressed deepest sympathy on beha-        of
> himself and all the followers to Nazar Khan. Just a few words
> from Mulla Husayn transformed Nazar Khan to the point that he told
> Mulla Husayn, "Had I one hundred so%,     all of whom I would have
> joyously placed at your feet as a sacrifice to the promised Qa'im."
> He pledged his undying loyalty to Mulla Husayn, and rushed home
> to return with whatever provisions were needed.
> 
> Amazing, how submission to the will of God works.       One should
> do his best, but resign to the will of God, and be content with
> the outcome. The best wealth is that of happiness and contentment.
> 
> One wonders how those three hundred men, having no architect,
> engineer or power tools, built a fort within a span of two months
> which could sustain the poundings of the army.       To add to the
> obstacles was the shorter days of fall which retarded drying of
> the mud used between the trunks of the trees. But everything worked
> like clockwork. The worst obstacle, which could have been the
> interference of the armed forces, was resolved by a major crisis
> in the capital, Tehran. In those countries, the transfer of power
> did not and does not take place smoothly. After the death of the
> king, the power struggle of ambitious princes and politicians had
> to take place before the crown prince could claim the throne.
> The dust finally settled on October 20 1848, when the coronation
> of the young king, less than twenty, took place.
> 
> While constructing the fortress, the annoyance of hostile acts
> of nearby villagers riled up by the enraged divine had to be dealt
> with by a flyswatter. No doubt, the strenuous and long hours of
> labor strengthened those determined arms for the critical days
> ahead.    The construction progressed well.      As it was near
> completion, one day a believer arrived with the marvelous news
> that Baha'u'llah and Nazar Khan would be arriving in the afternoon,
> and Baha'u'llah had invitz everyone for dinner that evening.
> Furu&i,   who survived the final massacre, related that he saw a
> beaming joy on Mulla Husayn's face upon hearing of the arrival
> of Baha'u'llah, but Furu&i  had not recognized the station of that
> nobleman.
> 
> Under Mulla Husayn's instruction, everyone frantically began to
> tidy up the place and themselves for the reception of Baha'u'llah,
> and even Mulla Husayn himself joined them in sweeping and sprinkling
> water on the approaches to the shrine. As soon as Mulla Husayn
> saw Baha'u'llah approaching, he rushed forward, embraced Him and
> conducted Him with reverence to the seat of honor. Furu&i    states,
> 1'
> The rest of us were too blind in those days to recognize the One
> Whom our commander treated with such love and humility. Mulla
> Husayn was so lost in admiration that he became totally oblivious
> of the three hundred of us standing waiting for permission to sit
> down. It was Baha'u'llah Himself who finally permitted us to sit
> down. "
> 
> Baha'u'llah, in the course of that visit, inspected the fort and
> expressed his satisfaction with the work, and then said, "The only
> thing missing is the presence of Quddus which would make the fort
> complete and the company perfect."    Baha'u'llah instructed Mulla
> Husayn to send a certain believer with six men to Sari to demand
> Quddus's release from confinement. After supper, Baha'u'llah left
> the fort, counseling them to be resigned to the will of God. Then
> He stated that, God willing, He would visit them again, and come
> to their assistance.
> Mulla Husayn, a t o n c e , s e n t t h e s e v e n men t o S a r i f o r t h e release
> of Quddus who had been c o n f i n e d f o r n i n e t y - f i v e d a y s i n t h e house
> of a t o p d i v i n e who a l s o was a r e l a t i v e of Quddus's.             You r e a l i z e
> t h a t w e are t a l k i n g a b o u t t h e town of S a r i and a d i f f e r e n t d i v i n e
> t h a n t h e v i c i o u s p r i e s t of Babul.          A s soon as t h e d i v i n e h e a r d
> Mulla Husayn's message, h e u n c o n d i t i o n a l l y honored t h e i r r e q u e s t .
> The name of Mulla Husayn had t o t a l l y disarmed him.                         He s a i d , "I
> have a l l a l o n g c o n s i d e r e d Quddus t o be my honored g u e s t , and h e
> i s a t l i b e r t y t o do whatever h e d e s i r e s . "     Well! A c o n v e n i e n t change
> of a t t i t u d e . No one d a r e d t o d i s p l e a s e Mulla Husayn.
> 
> Here comes one t o u c h i n g p a r t of t h e s t o r y . Mulla Husayn, t h e s u p e r -
> human commander, g a t h e r e d h i s men t o p r e p a r e them f o r Quddus whose
> s t a t i o n was n o t known t o them. He t o l d them, "You s h o u l d o b s e r v e
> towards him t h e same r e v e r e n c e t h a t you would towards t h e Bab.
> A s t o m y s e l f , you must c o n s i d e r m e o n l y a s h i s lowly s e r v a n t .
> You s h o u l d d i s p l a y s u c h l o y a l t y t o him t h a t s h o u l d h e command you
> t o t a k e m y l i f e , you s h o u l d n o t h e s i t a t e f o r a moment. You s h o u l d
> r e f r a i n from k i s s i n g h i s hands o r f e e t f o r h e d o e s n o t approve
> of it." A s you know, t h e m a j o r i t y of t h e companions were new
> c o n v e r t s from Islam and were used t o s u c h e x p r e s s i o n s of r e v e r e n c e .
> 
> The news of t h e impending a r r i v a l of Quddus b r o u g h t a j o y f u l
> t i d i n g s , r e l e a s i n g added s t r e n g t h and courage.       You c a n f e e l t h e
> s u s p e n s e i n e a c h man's h e a r t a b o u t what w a s n e x t .      Mulla Husayn's
> b u r s t of e n t h u s i a s m c o u l d n o t be r e p r e s s e d . T o t a l d a r k n e s s had
> enveloped t h e f o r t and t h e f o r e s t .           Mulla Husayn gave two c a n d l e s
> t o e a c h f o l l o w e r and l i t them h i m s e l f , and t o l d them t o proceed
> and g r e e t Quddus.              They surrounded Quddus on h i s h o r s e , and on
> f o o t f o l l o w e d him t o t h e f o r t w h i l e c h a n t i n g t h e hymn o f
> g l o r i f i c a t i o n , "Holy, h o l y , t h e Lord o u r God, t h e Lord of t h e a n g e l s
> and t h e s p i r i t   ."......          Mulla Husayn would c h a n t t h e r e f r a i n t o
> which t h e company r e s p o n d e d , and it echoed t h r o u g h o u t t h e f o r e s t .
> 
> Some of Quddus's w r i t i n g s were r e a d t o t h e companions.                                      His
> r e v e r e n c e t o t h e Bab and T a h i r i h were e a s y t o u n d e r s t a n d by t h e
> b e l i e v e r s , b u t h i s p r a i s e of B a h a ' u ' l l a h was n o t a p p r e c i a t e d s i n c e
> B a h a ' u ' l l a h appeared i n t h e r i c h g a r b of t h e n o b i l i t y .                  Being
> r i c h was n o t a n a d m i r a b l e q u a l i t y i n t h e i r t r a d i t i o n .
> 
> The n e x t morning Quddus asked Mulla Husayn f o r a head c o u n t .                               Mulla
> Husayn ordered every one out of the fort, and when they returned,
> he counted them. The total, including himself and Quddus, came
> to three hundred and twelve. Before the gate was closed, Mulla
> Husayn heard a youth running in the distance and calling. He had
> come all the way from Babul, and flung himself at the feet of Mulla
> Husayn, pleading to be accepted as one of the companions. His
> wish was granted, and the number rose to three hundred thirteen.
> When Quddus was informed about the result of the head count, he
> made a reference to a prophecy from Muhammad regarding the
> assemblage of three hundred thirteen chosen ones as a sign of the
> advent of the promised Qa'im.
> 
> The knowledge and resourcefulness of Quddus gradually removed the
> doubts of the companions who still considered Mulla Husayn of higher
> station. Many times in the middle of the night, Mulla Husayn was
> seen to circle around where Quddus was sleeping, and utter words
> of praise.    Quddus's new writings were regularly read to the
> companions which filled them with wonder, and justified his
> leadership in their limited minds.
> 
> With the fort completed, some curious and friendly visitors were
> permitted in. They marvelled at what was done in such a short
> time. Through word of mouth, the depraved divine of Babul heard
> of its praise and smouldered with jealousy.   He constantly preached
> to the neighboring villagers to refuse to sell provisions to them,
> which some did. He also sent a petition to the young king for
> the elimination of what, in strong language, he called a menace
> and a threat to the throne. He could not tolerate the Black
> Standard raised above the fort, the banner which had been hoisted
> in Mashhad in July 1848, and waved continually above the heads
> of those heroes for eleven months until May 1849.
> 
> The young king referred the matters to the officers in the province
> of Mazindaran where the fort was. They reported back to the king
> that the handful of frail-bodied students would require only a
> fraction of the army that his majesty had contemplated. They
> maintained that the men in the fort were utterly unworthy of the
> king's concern and consideration, and that a small detachment of
> the army could easily wipe them out within two days.      The king
> agreed, and assigned an officer to recruit whatever was necessary
> for the simple job. Trying to impress his king, in a short time
> that officer put together an army of twelve thousand men equipped
> with guns and necessary ammunition. They camped at the village
> of Nazar Khan overlooking the fort. They stopped any traffic in
> and out ofthe fort.
> 
> With such control, soon a shortage of bread and water prevailed.
> At sunset Quddus and Mulla Husayn were viewing the army barricades
> outside the fort. Quddus told Mulla Husayn, "God willing, this
> very night a downpour of rain followed by heavy snowfall will assist
> us to repulse their contemplated assault." It exactly happened.
> It ruined the enemy's gunpowder supply, and the combination of
> rain and snow supplied the companions with adequate water for a
> long time. The snowfall was unusual for that season, and was so
> heavy, the like of which that region had never experienced even
> in the depth of winter. Friends, if so far you have not seen
> the Hand of Providence at work, in the course of the coming events,
> you shall.
> 
> The date was December lst, 1848, when Quddus decided to scatter
> the enemy which was preparing for attack. Two hours after sunrise,
> Quddus, flanked by Mulla Husayn, on their horses, led the companions
> on foot through the gates of the fort with the cry of "Ya Sahibu'z-
> Zaman." The roar of their voices and the glitter of their drawn
> swords stunned the armed soldiers who, panic-stricken, scattered
> in every direction. Those who stayed were put to blade. Within
> forty-five minutes the shout of victory was raised. Within that
> short span of time, the army commander, two of his officers, and
> four hundred thirty soldiers had perished. Not a single casualty
> among the companions. Only one man was wounded. As commanded,
> they only took the swords and horses of the fallen, ignoring the
> valuables.
> 
> Quddus ordered his men to dig a moat around the fort as a safeguard
> against any future attack, which took them nineteen days to
> complete. It was during this first siege of the fort by the army
> that Baha'u'llah's attempt to join them ended in His arrest and
> being bastinadoed, which means the beating the soles of the feet.
> It definitely was not God's will for Him to reach the fort.
> Do you remember His parting words were "if it be God's will, I
> will visit the fort again, and come to your assistance." You will
> know why it was not God's will when you hear the ending.
> Soon a f t e r t h e moat was dug, t h e news a r r i v e d t h a t a p r i n c e was
> advancing towards t h e f o r t a t t h e head o f a l a r g e army.                     Apparently
> t h e o v e r z e a l o u s new prime m i n i s t e r , who l a t e r o r d e r e d t h e martyrdom
> of t h e Bab, became v i o l e n t l y a n g r y a t t h e news of t h a t d e f e a t .
> T h e r e f o r e , t h a t p r i n c e was g i v e n a f r e e r e i g n t o f i n i s h t h e j o b .
> A f t e r s e t t i n g up h i s h e a d q u a r t e r s i n a nearby v i l l a g e , h e s e n t
> one of h i s men t o meet Mulla Husayn, and f i n d o u t what h e was up
> t o . Mulla Husayn a s s u r e d them t h a t h i s i n t e n t i o n w a s n o t t o s u b v e r t
> o r usurp t h e a u t h o r i t y of t h e king.                H e wished t o a s s e r t t h e
> r i g h t f u l claim of t h e Bab a s t h e promised Qa'im.                        H e asked t h e
> p r i n c e t o a r r a n g e f o r a d e b a t e w i t h t h e l e a d i n g c l e r g y of S a r i
> and Babul a t t h e f o r t i n t h e p r e s e n c e o f t h e p r i n c e .             He s a i d ,
> "Let t h e h o l y book of Qur'an d e c i d e between t r u t h and f a l s e h o o d .
> The p r i n c e s h o u l d be t h e j u d g e , and I would welcome any punishment
> s h o u l d I f a i l t o prove my c a s e . "           The messenger, moved t o tears,
> promised t h a t i n t h r e e d a y s s u c h a meeting would be a r r a n g e d , b u t
> t h e p r i n c e wanted t o u s e t h e o p p o r t u n i t y t o i m p r e s s t h e k i n g w i t h
> h i s t a c t i c s , and n o t n e g o t i a t i o n .
> 
> Now h e had t h r e e r e g i m e n t s of i n f a n t r y and s e v e r a l r e g i m e n t s of
> c a v a l r y under h i s command. T h i s d e f i n i t e l y was a much l a r g e r army
> t h a n t h e d e f e a t e d t w e l v e thousand f o r c e . Tension was h i g h , and
> t h e l a r g e army restless f o r t h e s i g n a l , but... A d i f f e r e n t s i g n a l     ...
> The day had n o t y e t broken when a t t h e s i g n a l of "Mount your s t e e d s ,
> 0 h e r o e s of God," Quddus o r d e r e d t h e g a t e s opened.                   Mulla Husayn
> and o t h e r men f o l l o w e d Quddus. Undaunted by t h e f o r c e s t h a t
> surrounded them, o r t h e mud and snow on t h e r o a d , t h e y charged
> towards t h e h e a r t of t h e camp, t h e p r i n c e ' s h e a d q u a r t e r s .          With
> t h a t s u r p r i s e a t t a c k , l i k e a b o l t o f l i g h t e n i n g , t h e companions
> r e a c h e d t h e r e s i d e n c e of t h e p r i n c e . The proud p r i n c e , n o t w i s h i n g
> t o be c u t i n h a l f , jumped o u t of t h e back window, and escaped
> barefoot.           The army went i n t o t o t a l c h a o s , h a v i n g l o s t t h e i r
> commander.
> 
> Two o t h e r p r i n c e s and t h e s o l d i e r s who showed r e s i s t a n c e were s t r u c k
> down.       The companions found cases f i l l e d w i t h g o l d and s i l v e r i n
> t h e p r i n c e ' s room, b u t a l l t h e y t o o k w a s a c a s e of gunpowder and
> t h e p r i n c e ' s f a v o r i t e sword as e v i d e n c e o f t h e i r t r i u m p h f o r Mulla
> Husayn.         Mulla Husayn had s t a y e d behind w i t h a number of men t o
> check any unexpected move by t h e enemy. When t h e companions r e a c h e d
> him, they found he was using Quddus's sword because a bullet had
> struck his own sword.
> 
> After the men reached Mulla Husayn with the prince's sword, he
> led the company towards the camp headquarters where Quddus was.
> Mulla Husayn returned Quddus's sword, and ordered the companions
> to surround Quddus for safety. He remained at full vigilance,
> surveying the enemy's move. Still there were a few regiments
> remaining in the field. All of a sudden, he observed from left
> and right a mass of soldiers charging from two sides towards them.
> With the cry of "Ya Sahibu'z-Zaman," the companions pressed forward
> towards the coming host. Some followed Quddus, and the others
> followed Mulla Husayn in another direction. The oncoming enemy,
> seeing Mulla Husayn wielding his sword, deflected their direction
> and charged towards Quddus.
> The thunderous sound of thousands of bullets fired filled Mulla
> Husayn with apprehension. Disregarding the shower of bullets,
> he sped towards Quddus, and found the companions repulsing the
> attack, but to his horror, he found Quddus bleeding profusely from
> his mouth. Dismounting his horse, he ran towards Quddus, and seeing
> what happened to his beloved chief, he raised his hands to beat
> upon his own head when Quddus signaled him to desist. A bullet
> had broken several of Quddus's teeth and lacerated his tongue and
> throat. Mulla Husayn obeyed his chief who had remained on his
> horse; however, he asked Quddus for his sword. Mulla Husayn mounted
> his charger, and with Quddus's sword in one hand and the prince's
> in the other, swept through the lines of the enemy. The charger,
> being given a free reign, like a chariot of fire, tore through
> the lines of the enemy, allowing his master to mow them down right
> and left.    What a sight to behold! With such unmatched heroism,
> within thirty minutes, the entire army fled with no trace except
> the dead.
> Back at the fort, Quddus wrote an appeal to all who were
> disheartened by his injury. He told them to be resigned to the
> will of God, and if they loved him, to not spoil the joy of that
> memorable day by their lamentation.       He wrote, "Muhammad also
> lost his teeth by the stone of the infidels."
> That unforgettable engagement took place on December 21, 1848,
> when a handful of inspired heroes disgraced and defeated a large
> and well-equipped royal army.      Truly, beyond any explanation,
> miraculously, a few swords silenced thousands of guns.
> 
> It took more than a month before the demoralized and scattered
> forces of the prince recovered and began to prepare for the final
> decisive blow.    By this time, several additional regiments of
> infantry and cavalry under two brave and seasoned commanders had
> arrived.   Another Goliath against little David. Their combined
> forces set up a series of barricades.  To intimidate the occupants
> of the fort, they engaged in exercising maneuvers, firing their
> guns constanty for a few days.
> 
> While you are watching these childish practices, let me go inside
> the fort and tell you what is transpiring there. The scarcity
> of water compelled the men to dig a well.          As it was near
> completion, Mulla Husayn told his hard-working comrades, "Today
> we shall have all the water we require for our bath. Cleansed
> of all earthly defilement, we shall seek the court of the Almighty,
> and shall hasten to our eternal abode. Whoever is ready to partake
> of the cup of martyrdom, let him prepare himself, and be ready
> to scatter the dark forces surrounding us." I wish I had a cheerful
> report to give you, but that is the way it was on that February
> lst, 1849, within the fort of -   - Tabarsi.
> Shaykh
> 
> Mulla Husayn washed and did his ablution, put on a new garment,
> and adorning his head with the turban of the Bab, prepared for
> the approaching encounter. Let us not get sad. Alluding to the
> hour of his departure, his face was beaming with joy. Alone he
> sat up all night at the feet of Quddus, who so powerfully reminded
> him of his beloved Master, pouring forth all that was in his heart.
> 
> After midnight, way before the daybreak, he mounted his charger,
> and commanded the gates to be opened.        At the head of his
> companions, with the powerful cry of "Ya Sahibu'z-Zaman" which
> vibrated the fort and the forest, they charged towards the enemy
> lines. The first barricade Mulla Husayn dealt with was commanded
> by the enemy's bravest officers. Soon he disposed of its commander
> and scattered the soldiers. With the same speed and swiftness
> he cleared the second and third barricades. Undaunted by the shower
> of bullets, they pressed forward until the remaining barricades
> had been all overthrown. In the confusion that ensued and fearful
> of his life, one of the commanders climbed a tree.
> 
> The horse of Mulla Husayn suddenly became entangled in the rope
> of a tent, and before it could free itself, Mulla Husayn's chest
> was pierced by the bullet of the officer in the tree. However,
> the officer had no idea whom he had shot. Mulla Husayn, who was
> bleeding profusely, dismounted his horse, staggered a few steps
> and collapsed. Two of his companions carried him back to the fort.
> 
> Friends, this is too much for me to recount. Two believers, one
> of whom was Furu&i,    have related the following account: "We were
> among those who had remained in the fort with Quddus. As soon
> as Mulla Husayn, who seemed to have lost consciousness, was laid
> down in the presence of Quddus, Quddus dismissed us and said, 'Leave
> me alone with him. There are certain confidential matters which
> I wish him alone to know. "' Then he bade his attendant, a strong
> believer, to close the door. Furu&i    continues, "As we sat outside
> the door, we were amazed to hear the voice of Mulla Husayn answering
> Quddus. For two hours they continued to converse. I had never
> seen that brave and strong attendant of Quddus so agitated. He
> later told us that he was watching them through a crack in the
> door. As soon as Quddus said, 'Mulla Husayn,' he arose, and seated
> himself on his knees facing Quddus. With bowed head, he listened
> to every word of Quddus, and answered his questions. Then Quddus's
> final words were, 'You have hastened the hour of your departure,
> and abandoned me to the mercy of my enemies. Please God, may I
> join you soon, and taste the sweetness of heaven's delight.'
> ...These were the final words of Mulla Husayn, 'May my life be
> a ransom for you. Are you well-pleased with me?"'     Quddus, unable
> to speak, nodded his head. Mulla Husayn, that indomitable hero,
> with a gentle smile on his lips, closed his eyes to this world.
> 
> Furughi states, ''A long time passed before Quddus permitted us
> to enter. Quddus participated in the preparation of his body for
> burial, and put his own shirt on him.   As Quddus gave the parting
> kiss on his eyes and forehead, his lamenting final words were so
> intense, which made all of those in attendance to weep. Quddus
> laid the body with his own hands at a site within the shrine near
> the site where -   - Tabarsi had been laid to rest. He cautioned
> Shaykh
> those of us who were within the shrine to keep the site of burial
> a secret and conceal it, even from the rest of the companions.
> Mulla Husayn was thirty-six years old when he passed on to the
> ..."
> kingdom of eternal glory
> 
> The Bab, in the Tablet of Visitation revealed for Mulla Husayn,
> has asserted that the dust of the burial site of Mulla Husayn has
> the potency to bring joy to the grief-stricken and healing to the
> sick. Matter of fact, after the events were over, He sent a
> believer to do a pilgrimage on His behalf to the site of the fort,
> and bring Him a handful of dust from the graves of Quddus and Mulla
> Husayn. (God Passes By, page 50) Let us pray that the days of
> emancipation will be hastened so the pilgrimage of the Baha'is,
> from all corners of the world, to that fort and Quddus's resting
> place will become possible.
> 
> Since most of you are anxious to learn how it all ended, a brief
> account will be presented. For details, please refer to The Dawn-
> Breakers.
> 
> On that second day of Februrary, the day of the martyrdom of Mulla
> Husayn, the casualty among the companions was heavy. Ninety of
> them were seriously wounded and died later. From the date of their
> arrival to that tragic day in February, the number of companions
> martyred reached seventy-two, as foretold by Mulla Husayn. The
> days of Mulla Husayn's heroic deeds numbered one hundred sixteen
> days, which dwarfed and eclipsed all of the heroic deeds of the
> past. It was the mandate and the will of the Bab, so expressed
> in His parting words when Mulla Husayn left Mah-Ku a year earlier.
> 
> The disgraceful defeat of that massive army, and the loss of forty-
> five experienced officers was a severe blow to those in charge.
> It took one and a half months to recover, particularly with the
> intensity of cold in that winter. However, that hiatus did not
> relax their prevention of any supplies reaching the fort. With
> exhaustion of all supplies, Quddus opened the last supply of rice
> which Mulla Husayn had stored. As Quddus distributed the rice,
> he warned them about the unbearable trials ahead, and excused
> whoever wished to leave while the enemy's siege was broken.
> 
> That very night one traitor defected, and informed the enemy that
> Mulla Husayn was dead. Another Judas. He told the commander that
> on February 2nd, had they persisted, the fort would have been
> conquered. Up to that time, the enemy did not have that information.
> It gave them a new resolve.
> 
> Here are the highlights of the remaining three months. With the
> loss of Mulla Husayn, the confident enemy was preparing and counting
> on their final deadly assault. But again, the magic cry of "Ya
> Sahibu'z-Zaman" by only nineteen charging companions scattered
> the enemy. We can easily see that it was not the strength of
> numbers of men or arms, but the power of the animating spirit.
> After Mulla Husayn's death, all defensive sorties were led by Mirza
> Muhammad Baqir, the stout builder of the fort, whom Quddus appointed
> to replace Mulla Husayn. The defeat of the commanding officer
> was both embarrassing and humiliating. While escaping, he fell
> from his horse with one of his boots stuck in the stirrup. The
> victory under the new leader brought fresh spirit to those hungry,
> but not broken, heroes. They ate the flesh of horses taken from
> the enemy.    In the rank and file of the enemy, each defeated
> commander was a consolation to the other disgraced ones.
> 
> Finally, a desparate request was made to the capital for a shipment
> of cannons and artillery power.    Meanwhile, at the fort, the last
> Naw-Ruz in the life of Quddus and the companions was celebrated.
> Disregarding hunger, they sang the hymns of praise with which Quddus
> had been welcomed to the fort. Their daily spiritual sustenance
> was the new writings flowing from the pen of Quddus.
> 
> On the ninth day of Naw-Ruz, artillery shells began to pound the
> fort. Quddus, calmly walking in the open, rolled a cannon ball
> with his foot and assured the followers. The photo of one such
> cannon ball is on the insert. With continuation of shelling by
> the enemy and expectation of unconditional surrender, they were
> badly surprised by the loud hymns of joy and regular calls to prayer
> reaching their ears from the fort. One wonders how many soldiers
> saw the power and greatness of the Cause, and later embraced it.
> Meanwhile, the food of the companions was reduced to grass, boiled
> water and chewing on the leather of their saddles and belts.
> 
> Frustrated with the fervor of the companions, a tower was erected
> by the army, from the top of which they directed their shelling
> at the heart of the fort. Quddus summoned Mirza Muhammad Baqir
> and said, "Go and inflict a humiliation on this new commander,
> no less than the previous one.   Let him know that although hungry,
> the lionhearted heroes can still roar."      Again, he and eighteen
> companions, with     the cry of     "Ya Sahibu'z-Zaman," toppled
> the tower, and demolished the barricades with none of the believers
> scratched.
> companions, with the final cry of "Ya Sahibu'z-Zaman," toppled
> the tower, and demolished the barricades with none of the believers
> scratched.
> 
> For one month attacks were halted due to an explosion in the
> ammunition depot where a number of officers and soldiers died.
> Once again the cannons began their fire, but were silenced with
> another counter-offensive. Now has passed about five months of
> siege with no sign of progress, even with their big guns. The
> only weapon left was treachery.       At first they stopped all
> offensive.   Then a Qur'an, signed and sealed by the prince
> commander, was sent to Quddus, swearing a safe passage for everyone
> with their expenses paid to return to their home towns. Quddus
> honored the holy book, and the gates for the last time were opened.
> 
> As the companions came out of the fort, they were taken to the
> army's headquarters and separated into groups, but soon the foul
> play of barbaric and brutal massacre ensued, blaspheming the Qur'an
> upon which they had falsely promised peace.      Quddus was handed
> over to Sa'idu'l-Ulama, the blood-thirsty priest of Babul, who
> was impatiently awaiting his precious trophy to assure his own
> eternal damnation.     That fiend had sadistically planned the
> prolonged parade of Quddus in chains and despicable torture on
> the way to the main square. As Quddus reached the square, he raised
> his voice, "Only if my mother could be here to watch the splendor
> of my wedding night." At his final moments, before he was struck
> down by the axe of that priest, he prayed for his tormenters.
> Then those ravenous beasts fell upon him, cutting him into pieces,
> feeding the parts into a blazing fire prepared and planned by that
> fiend.
> Quddus was only twenty-seven years old, and the date was May 16,
> 1849. Past midnight when everyone was gone, under the direction
> of a compassionate and pious divine, Haji Muhammad- Aliyi-Hamzih,
> the charred remnants were buried at a site not too far from that
> square.
> 
> You should also hear the special circumstances surrounding the
> martyrdom of Mirza Muhammad-Baqir, whom Quddus apqointed,*as tKe
> leader of their counter-dgfensive sorties after the 'death of Mulla
> Husayn. ~ i r z a ,a distinguished and learned man, was the one who
> You should also hear the special circumstances surrounding the
> martyrdom of Mirza Muhammad-Baqir, whom Quddus appointed as the
> leader of their counter-offensive sorties after the death of Mulla
> Husayn. Mirza, a distinguished and learned man, was the one who
> built the Babiyyih in Ma&had,  and later the fort at Bay& Tabarsi.
> He and another companion were sent to the town of Amul, where six
> months before, Baha'u'llah, after being intercepted on His way
> to the fort, had been confined and bastinadoed. Upon their arrival,
> the horrible tortures inflicted upon his friend threw Mirza into
> a fit of rage. When the executioner approached them, Mirza freed
> his tied hands, and snatched the sword from the executioner. He
> struck the executioner with such force that his head rolled about
> fifteen feet away. The crowd rushed towards him, but he mowed
> down all who came within his reach. Finally, they had to shoot
> him which was a more merciful death. In his pocket they found
> a dry piece of roasted horse flesh, a proof of what he and all
> those heroes had to endure for their faith.
> 
> Those thick walls and gate of that fort, still vibrating with the
> cry of those heroes, were meticulously razed to efface the least
> evidence of the army's repeated humiliations and their final
> treacherous blasphemy.    How naive! How ignorant! The spilled
> blood of the martyrs could never and shall never be silenced.
> 
> That month of May, 1849, that part of northern Iran on the shores
> of the Caspian sea, witnessed the bloody end of so heroic and so
> tragic events of Fort -     - Tabarsi. Let the resonating, earth-
> Shaykh
> shaking cry of "Ya Sahibu'z-Zaman," and the hymns of those valiant
> heroes fill the air and reverbrate until the end of time.
>
> — *Mulla Husayn Bushru'i: The Indomitable (Used by permission of the curator)*