# Mulla Husayn

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> Source: Bahá'í Library Online (bahai-library.com), curated by Jonah Winters. Used by permission of the curator. Original citation: Lowell Johnson, Mulla Husayn, bahai-library.com.
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> 
> Mulla Husayn
> 
> Lowell Johnson
> 
> National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of South and West Africa, 1982
> 
> Contents
> 
> Chapter One
> 
> Chapter Two
> 
> Chapter Three
> 
> Chapter Four
> 
> Chapter Five
> 
> Chapter Six
> 
> Chapter Seven
> 
> Chapter Eight
> 
> Chapter Nine
> 
> Chapter Ten
> 
> Chapter Eleven
> 
> Chapter Epilogue
> 
> Photographs of the house of Bahá'u'lláh
> 
> published in the Dawn Breakers
> 
> Chapter One
> 
> The story of Mullá Husayn begins in the year 1840 in Karbilá, 'Iráq.
> At the time he had already been a student of Siyyid Kázim for five years. Siyyid Kázim
> was a teacher of the Qur'án who was preparing the people for the coming of a new Prophet
> of God.
> 
> One day Siyyid Kázim said to his followers, "I wish that one of you
> would go to the city of Isfahán, and deliver a message to a great man there named Hájí
> Siyyid Muhammad Báqir. If one of you can get him to support our teachings, it will
> greatly help to spread our Cause". Many times Siyyid Kázim repeated this rquest, but
> no one offered to make the journey.
> 
> At this time Mullá Husayn was only twenty-two years old. He was one of the
> youngest of Siyyid Kázim's students, but certainly one of his best. He sat in Siyyid
> Kázim's classes quietly and humbly. He was always the last one to arrive before each
> lecture, and the first one to leave after it was finished. He never stayed after the
> lecture to ask questions or argue as did many of the others. Ever since childhood he had
> studied to gain more knowledge--especially about religion and the subject of law.
> 
> One day, in 1840, Siyyid Kázim again repeated the question to his students:
> "Will someone arise and take this Message to Hájí Siyyid Muhammad Báqir in
> Isfahán?" Still, nobody offered to go, except a man whom Siyyid Kázim did not
> consider intelligent enough to do it properly. At that moment he turned to Mullá Husayn
> and said, "You are the one I have chosen. Arise and carry out this mission. With the
> help of God you will succeed."
> 
> Mullá Husayn was filled with joy! He had been too humble to offer himself, but
> when he was called upon to serve God in this way, he jumped to his feet, kissed the hem of
> Siyyid Kázim's coat, and immediately left on his journey to Isfahán.
> 
> In a few day' time, Siyyid Kázim received a letter from Mullá Husayn containing
> the Hájí's declaration of support. When the letter was handed to him, he was lecturing
> to his followers. However, he read the letter and the declaration to all the men present.
> He immediately wrote an answer to Mullá Husayn, and also read that to his students. In
> this letter he praised Mullá Husayn so highly for his service that a few of Siyyid
> Kázim's followers thought that Mullá Husayn must be the Promised One. The letter was
> written with such love and tenderness that it was clear that Siyyid Kázim was saying
> goodby to Mullá Husayn. He knew that he would never see him again on this earth. Siyyid
> Kázim died on the 31st of December 1843.
> 
> It was on the 22nd of January 1844, twenty-two days after the death of Siyyid
> Kázim, that Mullá Husayn returned to Karbilá. For three days he received visitors at
> his home, all of whom expressed their sorrow because of the passing of Siyyid Kázim.
> After listening to their cries he invited the most trusted and outstanding ones to tell
> him what Siyyid Kázim had told them to do before he died. They told him that Siyyid
> Kázim had said over and over, "You must leave your homes, travel far and wide,
> purify your hearts, and search for the Promised One. The only way you can find Him is to
> search. You must pray to make your hearts pure---and search."
> 
> When Mullá Husayn heard these words he said, "Then why are you still here in
> Karbilá? Why have you not scattered all over the land? Why have you not followed Siyyid
> Kázim's wish?"
> 
> They answered: "It is true we have failed. But, we look to your greatness. We
> have such confidence in you that if you were to tell us that you are the Promised One
> yourself, we would believe it and obey you in anything you told us to do."
> 
> "God forbid!" said Mullá Husayn. "I am just dust compared to the
> Promised One, the Lord of Lords. If you had really understood the message of Siyyid
> Kázim, you would never have spoken such words! No! What you must do--- and what I must
> do-- is to arise immediately to carry out Siyyid Kázim's message."
> 
> Suiting his action to his words, Mullá Husayn immediately stood up and went to
> deliver this message to other well-known followers of Siyyid Kázim. Some of them made
> excuses that they could not leave Karbilá at this time, and few accepted Mullá Husayn's
> words as the truth.
> 
> Mullá Husayn, himself, wasted no time. Together with is brother, Muhammad-Hasan,
> and his brother's son, Muhammad-Báqir, he set out for Najaf. On the way to Najaf they
> stopped at a place for forty days to fast and pray and purify themselves for their search
> for the Báb. Then they went on to Búshihr, on the Persian Gulf.
> 
> Chapter Two
> 
> While Mullá Husayn was in Búshihr he seemed to be drawn as if
> by a magnet to the north, and so he moved on to Shíráz. As he reached the gate of
> the city if Shíráz, he sent his two companions ahead to a certain mosque telling
> them to stay there until he joined them later. "God willing," he said, "I
> will join you there for the evening prayer."
> 
> A short time later, while walking outside the gate of Shíráz, Mullá
> Husayn suddenly saw a beautiful Youth, who wore a green turban, coming toward him. The
> Young Man greeted Mullá Husayn with a smile of loving welcome. He took Mullá Husayn into
> his arms as though he had been a lifelong friend.
> 
> At first, Mullá Husayn thought this Person was a follower of Siyyid Kázim who
> had come out from Shíráz to meet him. But then the Youth invited Mullá Husayn to
> His home to rest and refresh himself after his journey. Mullá Husayn tried to excuse
> himself saying he had two friends waiting for him and he must go to meet them. But the
> Youth said, "Commit them to the care of God. He will surely protect and watch over
> them."
> 
> Mullá Husayn could not say "no" to this Young Man, and so he followed
> Him to the gate of His simple house. The door to the house was soon opened by an Ethiopian
> servant, and the Youth said, "Enter therein in peace, secure." This is a
> sentence from the blessed Qur'án, a saying of the Prophet Muhammad. Mullá Husayn thought
> it was a good sighn to hear those words in the first house he entered in Shíráz,
> so he was filled with joy and happiness to be there.
> 
> As soon as Mullá Husayn was seated, the servant brought a jug of water, and the
> Youth invited Mullá Husayn to wash his hands and feet so he would feel refreshed.
> Mullá Husayn asked if he could go into another room to wash himself, but the Young Man
> refused, and instead He poured the water over Mullá Husayn's hands Himself. Then, He gave
> Mullá Husayn a cool drink and made some tea.
> 
> After finishing the tea, Mullá Husayn stood up and said, "The time for
> evening prayer is approaching. I have promised my friends to join them at that hour at the
> mosque."
> 
> The Youth was very calm and courteous, but told Mullá Husayn he must have told
> his friends he would join them, God willing, but that it seemed as if God had other plans
> for him. He told Mullá Husayn not to worry about keeping his promise. These words made
> Mullá Husayn calm and happy, so he prepared for prayer.
> 
> Mullá Husayn and the Young Man stood side by side as they prayed. This was Mullá
> Husayn's prayer: "I have tried with all my soul, O my God, and until now I have
> failed to find Thy promised Messenger. I know that Thy word will not fail, and that Thy
> promise is sure."
> 
> After the prayers were finished, the youth asked Mullá Husayn whom he regarded as
> his new leader now that Siyyid Kázim had passed away.
> 
> Mullá Husayn said, "Siyyid Kázim told all his followers to leave their
> homes and travel everywhere and look for the Promised One."
> 
> The Youth then asked Mullá Husayn if his teacher had given him any signs by which
> he would know the Promised One.
> 
> Mullá Husayn answered, "Yes, Siyyid Kázim said that the Promised One would
> be a pure descendant of the Prophet Muhammad, and of the family of Fátimih. He would be
> more than twenty and less than thirty years old. He would have knowledge without having
> studied. He would be of medium height, would not smoke, and would be physically
> perfect."
> 
> There was a silence for a while, and then the Young Man said with a strong voice:
> "Behold, all those signs are manifest in Me!" He then repeated each of these
> signs of the Promised One, and showed how each one was true about Himself. But Mullá
> Husayn did not at first believe. He remembered what Siyyid Kázim had told him, that the
> Promised One would be a very holy man, very wise, with more knowledge than any other
> person on earth. He told the Young Man what Siyyid Kázim said, but as soon as he said it,
> he became very sorry and very afraid. However, Mullá Husayn had decided when he started
> his search, that he would test the Promised One in two ways: the Promised One must reveal
> an explanation of part of the Qur'án known as the Súrih of Joseph without being asked to
> do so, and must explain a book which Mullá Husayn had written.
> 
> Although Mullá Husayn was very afraid, he asked the Young Man to read his book
> and explain it to him. The Young Man happily looked at parts of the book, closed it, and
> then spoke to Mullá Husayn. Within a few minuted, he had explained all the ideas and
> answered all the questions in it. Then, before Mullá Husayn could answer, the Young Man
> said, "Now is the time to reveal the commentary on the Súrih of Joseph."
> 
> Mullá Husayn needed no futher proof. He just sat there before the Young Man
> watching Him write His explanation, and listening to His beautiful words. When the Young
> Man had finished, He told Mullá Husayn that it is for God to test His servants and not
> for His servants to judge God by their own poor standards. He told Mullá Husayn that if
> he had not been His guest, he would have been in great danger, but the grace of God had
> saved him. He went on to say that in this Day, all the peoples and nations of the earth,
> both in the East and the West, should hurry to His door and ask for help from God, the
> Merciful. Whoever hesitated would be lost. Then the Young Man said that everyone should
> arise sincerely and of their own accord as Mullá Husayn had done, to go out and look for
> their promised Beloved with determination.
> 
> Mullá Husayn's head was going round and round from all he had heard. he felt he
> had to rise, and he begged to leave. But the Young Man smiled and told him that if he left
> then, whoever saw him would say, "This poor youth has lost his mind."
> 
> At that moment the clock showed two hours and eleven minites after sunset, on the
> evening of the 22nd of May 1844. The Young Man turned to Mullá Husayn and said,
> "This night, this very hour will, in the days to come, be celebrated as one of the
> greatest and most significant of all festivals. Render thanks to God for having graciously
> assisted you to attain your heart's desire, . . ."
> 
> About forty-five minuted later, the Young Man ordered dinner to be served. The
> holy food refreshed Mullá Husayn's body, and his soul as well. During the meal and after
> it, the Young Man continued to talk. Mullá Husayn sat and listened, completely forgetting
> the time. Suddenly he heard the call to morning prayer, and Mullá Husayn relized that
> they had talked the whole night long without stopping. They had not become tired. For the
> first time, Mullá Husayn knew what it was to have peace. He only thought, "Peace!
> Peace! Glory be to Thee, O God! Peace! Praise be to God, Lord of all creatures!"
> 
> Then the Young Man spoke these words to Mullá Husayn: O thou who art the first to
> believe in Me! verily, I say, I am the Báb, the Gate of God, and thou art the
> Bábu'l-Báb, the gate of that gate. Eighteen souls must, in the beginning, spontaneously
> and of their own accord, accept Me and recognize the truth of My Revelation. Unwarned and
> uninvited, each of these must seek independently to find Me. And when their number is
> complete, one of them must needs be chosen to accompany Me on My pilgrimage to Mecca and
> Medina. There I shall deliver the Message of God to the Sharíf of Mecca."*
> 
> The Báb then told Mullá Husayn not to tell any of his friends what he had seen
> and heard that night, that he must go to the mosque and pray, that the Báb would join him
> for prayers later, and that Mullá Husayn must pretend not to know Him. He must keep his
> experience a secret until they leave the city. Then the Báb said, "Ere we depart, we
> shall appoint unto each of the eighteen souls his special mission, and shall send them
> forth to accomplish their task. We shall instruct them to teach the Word of God and to
> quicken the souls of men."
> 
> When the Báb had finished this speech, He asked Mullá Husayn to leave, and He
> entrusted him to the care of God.
> 
> * The Sharíf of Mecca was the keeper of the Most Holy House of the Muslim
> Religion.
> 
> Chapter Three
> 
> Have you ever wondered what it must have been like to be the first
> believer in a new religion? This is what Mullá Husayn felt. He
> said:
> 
> "This Message, which was given to me so suddenly and without any preparation,
> came like a clap of thunder. For a while I could neither see, nor feel, nor hear. It was
> too great to be true. I could not realize what had happened. I became excited and happy.
> Before, I had been weak and powerless. I became glad and strong. I felt that I had so much
> courage and power that, even if all the world were to rise up against me, I would be able
> to meet any attack or difficulty. The world and all things seemed like a handful of dust
> in my grasp." Mullá Husayn seemed to be like the voice of the angel Gabriel, calling
> all mankind to awake, because the morning light had broken, and telling them to arise,
> because His cause was made clear, and the gate of God's grace was wide open. Mullá Husayn
> seemed to be saying, "enter therein, O peoples of the world! For He who is your
> Promised One is come!"
> 
> This is the way Mullá Husayn felt when he left the home of the Báb on that
> wonderful day. It was in this condition that he joined his brother and his nephew at the
> mosque. A large number of people had gathered there to greet him, he obeyed the Báb's
> command and did not tell anyone of his experiences. Instead, he said his prayers and began
> to organize classes as he was told to do.
> 
> More and more people started to come to Mullá Husayn's classes. He did not tell
> them about the Báb, but he did tell them many other things to awaken their hearts. So
> beautilully did he speak that even the religious leaders and city officials came to hear
> him. He had never spoken so well. His speeches were filled with the new spirit which the
> Báb had given him.
> 
> During those days the Báb invited him to come and visit Him several times. The
> Báb would send His servant to the mosque with a loving message of welcome, and each time
> Mullá Husayn would spend the rest of the night with the Báb. While Mullá Husayn
> listened, the hours would fly by without notice, and daylight would come too soon.
> 
> On one of these nightly visits, the Báb said, "Tomorrow thirteen of your
> companions will arrive. To each of them extend the utmost loving-kindness. Leave them not
> to themselves, for they have dedicated their lives to the quest of their Beloved. Pray to
> God that He may graciously enable them to walk securely in that path which is finer than a
> hair and keener than a sword. Certain ones among them will be accounted, in the sight of
> God, as His chosen and favoured disciples. As to others, they will tread the middle way.
> The fate of the rest will remain undeclared until the hour when all that is hidden shall
> be made manifest."
> 
> On that same morning, at sunrise, soon after Mullá Husayn had arrived at the
> mosque, thirteen men came, as the Báb had promised.
> 
> One night a few days later, Mullá 'Alí, the leader of the group, could not keep
> quiet any longer. He said to Mullá Husayn, "You know how much we trust you. If you
> were to say that you were the Promised One yourself, we would certainly believe you.
> Because of you, we have left our homes in search of the beloved. You have set the example.
> We have followed in your footsteps. We have followed you to this place, and we are ready
> to accept whomever you accept as the Promised One, and we are ready for all the troubles
> it may bring to us. Now we are here with you, and we see you teaching the people and
> saying your prayers in perfect peace, and you do not seem to be looking for the Promised
> One any longer. Please tell us why, so that we may understand."
> 
> Mullá Husayn spoke to him gently, because he knew what was in their hearts.
> "Your friends," he said, " probably feel that I am at peace because I have
> become well known and successful in this city. The truth is far from that. Success in this
> world is of no interest to me. Mullá Husayn is only interested in his beloved. Ever since
> the beginning of my search, I have pomised God that I would give my life for His cause.
> Not until I shed my blood for His name will the fire that is within me be stopped. I pray
> to God that you will live to see that day. I wonder if your friends have not thought that
> perhaps God has opened the gate for Mullá Husayn, and because he is not able to tell
> anyone, he prays and holds classes."
> 
> These last words awakened the soul of Mullá 'Alí. He knew what they meant
> immediately.Tears filled his eyes, and he begged Mullá Husayn to tell him who the
> Promised One was. But Mullá Husayn said to him, "Please, you must not ask me this
> question. Let your trust be in God, for he will surely guide your steps,and satusfy the
> excitement in your heart."
> 
> Mullá 'Alí hurried to his friends and told them about his conversaation with
> Mullá Husayn. The news set their hearts on fire, and they immediately went to their rooms
> to fast and pray, so that they could be able to recognize their beloved.
> 
> On the third night of his prayers, Mullá 'Alí had a vision. Before his eyes came
> a light, and the light moved off ahead of him. As the light moved forward, he followed it,
> and in his dream he came to the arms of his promised Beloved. He awoke in the middle of
> the night from his dream, radiant with joy and gladness. He hurried to the room of Mullá
> Husayn and threw himself into his arms. Mullá Husayn lovingly embraced him and said:
> "Praise be to God Who hath guided us here. If God had not guided us, we would not
> have been guided."
> 
> At the break of day, Mullá Husayn and Mullá 'Alí hurried to the home of the
> Báb. The door of His house was already open, and the Báb's servant was there to greet
> them. he recognized them immediately and said, "Before the break of day, my Master
> told me to open the door of the house and stand ready at the entrance. 'Two guests', He
> said, 'are to arrive early this morning. Extend to them in My name a loving welcome. Say
> to them from Me: "Enter therein in the name of God." ' "
> 
> Mullá 'Alí was then brought into the presence of his beloved Báb for the first
> time, and his happiness and joy was as Mullá Husayn's had been a few days before.
> Everything in the room seemed to say, "Verily, verily, the dawn of a new Day has
> broken."
> 
> During the next few days each of the twelve companions of Mullá 'Alí looked for
> and found his Beloved. Some had experiences while asleep, some while awake, a few whilst
> in prayer, and others while in deep thought. Each in his own way was led to recognize the
> power of God's glory. Each of them came to Mullá Husayn with great joy and happiness, and
> he led them to the presence of the Báb.
> 
> Chapter Four
> 
> One night while the Báb was talking to Mullá Husayn, He said: "Seventeen
> Letters have thus far enlisted under the standard of the Faith of God. There remains one
> more to complete the number. These Letters of the Living shall arise to proclaim My cause
> and to establish My Faith. Tomorow night the remaining Letter will arrive and will
> complete the number of My chosen disciples."
> 
> The next day, in the evening, Muhammad-'Alí, later named Quddús, became the last
> Letter of the Living by recognizing the Báb as He walked with Mullá Husayn outside the
> gate of the city of Shíráz *
> 
> One of the chosen Eighteen Letters of the Living was a woman named Táhirih. She
> never met the Báb, but she recognized Him in a dream and sent Him a letter which proved
> to Him that she was worthy to be considered a Letter of the Living.**
> 
> After the Eighteen Letters of the Living had found the Báb, he Himself became the
> Nineteenth. He then called them into His presence, and gave each of them a special command
> and a special duty. He spoke some inspiring words to them before parting. Mullá Husayn
> had thought that he would be the one chosen by the Báb to go with Him on His pilgrimage
> to Mecca and Medina, but the Báb chose Quddús instead. Mullá Husayn was disappointed,
> but the Báb had saved Mullá Husayn for another purpose.
> 
> The Báb told Mullá Husayn not to be unhappy because he wasn't chosen to go on
> pilgrimage with Him. Instead, he was to go to the city which held a Mystery more holy than
> anything in Hijáz or Shíráz. His task would be to open the eyes of non-believers
> and, with the help of God, to make their minds clean. The Báb promised that he would be
> given great power and that God's angels would protect him. God's almighty arms would
> surround him and His unfailing spirit would guide him. Finally, the Báb said: "He
> that loves you, loves God; and whoever opposes you, has opposed God. Who befriends you,
> him will God befriend; and whoso rejects you, him will God reject."
> 
> With those wonderfull words in his ears Mullá Husayn started on his special task.
> Wherever he went, to whatever group of people he talked, he told the great Message of the
> Promised One without fear. When he spoke to the people he told them that a great new
> religious teacher had appeared, and that He had written a book which was very nuch like
> the Holy Qur'án. When the people said that that was not such a wonderful thing, he said,
> "Show me another man who can do the same, if you are men who speak the truth. The day
> is soon coming when this whole city will accept His Cause."
> 
> When the Muslim clergy in the city of Isfahán heard these sayings of Mullá
> Husayn, they immediately became angry and afraid. They did not believe that anyone could
> ever be as great as Muhammad, nor that any book could ever be as great as the Holy
> Qur'án. They were angry because Mullá Husayn had said this, and they were afraid because
> many people might believe Mullá Husayn and leave the Muslim Faith. Therefore, the clergy
> went to the government officials and told them lies, and tried to have Mullá Husayn
> stopped from teaching.
> 
> At first, the officials of the city paid no attention to the clergy. Instead, they
> told them to be wise and listen to Mullá Husayn; perhaps what he said was true. Mullá
> Husayn, therefore, was able to teach his new Faith for a long time without being stopped.
> However, in the whole city of Isfahán, only one man was found who recognized the Truth at
> once. He was a simple sifter of wheat. (A few years later, when he heard the news about
> the battle of Shaykh Tabarsí, he ran to join the men in the Fort. As he ran
> through the city of Isfahán, he carried his sieve. People tried to stop him, and asked,
> "Why are yo in such a hurry?" An he said, "I hurry to help the Bábís
> defend themselves at the Fort Shaykh Tabarsí. I carry this sieve with me to
> sift the people in each city through which I pass. Whosever I find ready to join me in
> this Faith, I will invite them to hurry with me to the field of martyrdom.") So
> glorious was the action of this young man, a sifter, that the Báb wrote about him in His
> Holy Book, the Bayán.
> 
> * The story of Quddús is told in another booklet of the
> "Golden Crowns" series.
> 
> ** The story of Táhirih is another story told in the "Golden
> Crown" series.
> 
> Chapter Five
> 
> It was in Tihrán that Mullá Husayn discovered the "Mystery
> which is more holy than anything in Hijáz or Shíráz." This is the way it
> happened:
> 
> One day, while Mullá Husayn was talking to a great teacher of the Qur'án, one of
> his students overheard the conversation and came to see Mullá Husayn in his room in the
> middle of the night. Mullá Husayn asked the man, "What is your name, and which city
> is your home?"
> 
> "My name", he said. "is Mullá Muhammad, and my surname is
> Mu'allim. My home is Núr, in the province of Mázindarán."
> 
> "Tell me," said Mullá Husayn, "does the family of Mírzá Buzurg
> live there? And does any member of his family have as fine a character, intelligence, and
> charm as his late father?"
> 
> "Yes," said Mullá Muhammad, "among his sons now living there is
> One Who is very much like His father. He lives a beautiful life filled with love and
> kindness. He is generous and highly intelligent."
> 
> "What is His occupation?" asked Mullá Husayn.
> 
> "He makes sad people happy and feeds the hungry," was the answer.
> 
> "What about His rank or position?"
> 
> "He has none," said the student. "He only helps the poor and makes
> friends with the stranger."
> 
> "What is His name?"
> 
> "His name is Husayn-'Alí."
> 
> "How does he spend His time?" asked Mullá Husayn.
> 
> "He walks in the woods, and enjoys the beauty of the countryside."
> 
> "What is His age?"
> 
> "Twenty-eight."
> 
> During this conversation, Mullá Husayn became more and more excited. Soon
> you will see the reason why. Before Mullá Muhammad left, Mullá Husayn
> asked, "I suppose you often see Him?"
> 
> "Yes," he answered, "I often visit His home."
> 
> "Then, will you deliver into His hands a parcel from me?"
> 
> "I would be happy to," he said.
> 
> Mullá Husayn then took some of the Báb's Writings which were rolled up in a
> piece of cloth. He asked Mullá Muhammad to give it to Husayn-'Alí in person at the hour
> of dawn. If Husayn-'Alí wanted to send a nessage back, Mullá Muhammad must bring it to
> him.
> 
> Of course, you know who Husayn-'Alí was. He was later known as
> Bahá'u'lláh.When Mullá Muhammad delivered the parcel to Bahá'u'lláh,
> Bahá'u'lláh read the Báb's Writings, and turning to His brother, Mírzá Músá, said:
> "Verily, I say, whoso believes in the Qur'án and recognizes its Divine origin, and
> yet hesitates, though it be for a moment, to admit that these soul-stirring words are
> endowed with the same regenerating power, has most assuredly erred in his judgement and
> has strayed far from the path of justice." He said no more. But He sent Mullá Husayn
> a gift of a loaf of Russian sugar and a package of tea and a message of love and thanks.
> In those days, tea and sugar were very scarce in êrán. In this way, Bahá'u'lláh showed
> Mullá Husayn how precious He considered the Message which He had received.
> 
> When Mullá Muhammad returned to Mullá Husayn with the tea and sugar, Mullá
> Husayn understood. He jumped to his feet, received the gift with his head bowed low, and
> kissed it. Then, he took Mullá Muhammad into his arms, kissed his eyes, and said,
> "My dearly beloved friend! I pray that God will give you happiness forever, and fill
> your heart with a gladness that will never die."
> 
> A few days later Mullá Husayn left Tihrán for Khurásán. As he said
> goodbye to Mullá Muhammad, he said, "You must not tell anyone what you have seen and
> heard. let this be a secret in your heart. Do not tell anyone His name, because someone
> will try to hurt Him. When you are praying, pray that God will protect Him. Our duty is to
> tell everyone about this New day. Many people will die for this Cause in this very city.
> But that blood will water the Tree of God, will cause it to grow, and shelter all people
> in every part of the world."
> 
> Happy because of his experience with Bahá'u'lláh, Mullá Husayn taught the
> people of Khurásán even better than at any other time. He was such a strong
> teacher, that he even brought the chief of the Muslim religion in Khurásán into
> the Bábí Faith, as well as many, many others. for a while, it seemed as if the whole of
> Mashhad, the main city of Khurásán, would accept the Báb.
> 
> After a time, Mullá Husayn decided that it was time to send a message to the Báb
> telling Him everything that had happened on his first teaching trip for the Faith, and
> told the story about how the Message was delivered to Bahá'u'lláh.
> 
> When the Báb received the message from Mullá Husayn, it was one of the greatest
> holy days in the Muslim Faith. Only Quddús was with Him to share the news. Both Quddús
> and the Báb were filled with joy and happiness by the report. The Báb seemed to be the
> happiest Quddús had ever seen Him, and the reason was very clear. The Báb now felt sure
> that even if He were killed immediately, the Cause of God would continue and grow through
> the work of Bahá'u'lláh. From that moment on, the Báb was filled with a new sirit and
> new hope.
> 
> After receiving Mullá Husayn's letter, the Báb decided it was time for Him to
> make His pilgrimage to Mecca and Medina. This was in September 1844.
> 
> Mullá Husayn continued his teaching in the city of Mashhad.
> 
> Chapter Six
> 
> Before the Báb had left on His pilgrimage, he had told his friends
> that He would return by way of 'Iráq, and would stop in the city of Karbilá. Therefore,
> as Naw-Rúz* of 1845 came near, many Bábís gathered in Karbilá to welcome Him. Soon
> after Naw-Rúz, however, they received a message from Him that he had had to change His
> plans. He had gone directly to His home in Shíráz. He asked all those who wished
> ro see Him to travel to Isfahán, to the north of Shíráz, and wait there for
> further instructions. This the faithful ones did. On the way, they met Mullá Husayn, who
> travelled with them.
> 
> After a few days in Isfahán, the news came to them that Shíráz was
> greatly upset by the Báb's arrival, and it was dangerous for anyone to enter the city to
> see Him. When Mullá Husayn heard this, he was in no way put off. He quietly told a few of
> his companions what he was going to do. He took off his robes and his turban, and put on
> the clothes worn by people of a diferent part of êrán. Making himself look like a
> horseman, he and his brother and nephew set out at an unexpected hour for Shíráz.
> 
> As they came near to the gate of Shíráz, Mullá Husayn told his brother
> to enter the city in the dark of night and go straight to the Báb's uncle and ask him to
> tell the Báb that they had arrived. On the next day, Mullá Husayn received the
> happy news that the Báb's uncle would meet him outside the gate of the city an hour after
> sunset. That night the Báb's uncle met Mullá Husayn at the time arranged, and took him
> to his home safely. Several times, rhe Báb came at night to visit Mullá Husayn at his
> uncle's home. They stayed together the entire night and spoke of many things. In a few
> days' time, the Báb gave Mullá Husayn permission to invite the believers from Isfahán
> to come to Shíráz gradually, find places to live in the city as travellers, and
> take whatever jobs they could find.
> 
> Some of those who came to Shíráz to see the Báb were not very strong
> believers in His Faith. They thought that by becoming Bábís they would be given special
> favours and power. When they saw that the Báb had chosen Mullá Husayn as His favourite
> desciple at that time, they became very jealous. They started to whisper things against
> Mullá Husayn to his companions. These whisperings did not effect Mullá Husayn's
> companions in any way, however, except to make them stay away from those who were trying
> to make the trouble. Little by little, the trouble-makers found that they were no longer
> part of the faithful group, so they pulled themselves away completely and joined the
> enemies of the Báb in Shíráz. They caused so much trouble in the city that in
> the end the city authorities forced them to leave. But this did not stop their jealousy or
> their plans.
> 
> Soon, the people of Shíráz began to protest because Mullá Husayn had
> come back, so much so, that the Báb finally had to ask all His followers except one to
> leave the city. When the believers left, the Báb had a quiet time for a while, and some
> wonderful souls became believers. But in time, many people began coming to the Báb again,
> and the clergy and the enemies convinced the Government of êrán that the Báb must
> either be put in prison or killed. The Government decided to put Him in the prison of
> Máh-Kú in the mountains of north-western êrán.
> 
> When the Báb sent His followers out of Shíráz, He told Mullá Husayn to
> go back to Khurásán to continue his teaching. Early in 1848, he decided he must
> visit the Báb in prison, so he left Mashhad and started to walk to Tihrán. Some
> of his friends tried to give him a horse and carriage to make the journey easier, but he
> said, "I have promised God that I would walk the whole distance which separates me
> from my Beloved." He even tried to get his servant, Qambar-'Alí, to return to Mashhad,
> but he refused. So, together they walked the entire distance of hundreds of kilometres.
> 
> On the way to Máh-Kú, Mullá Husayn went through many towns. In each town he was
> greeted by the happy believers. When he reached Tihrán, he showed such a fine character
> and love for the Faith that people said that even if no one else were to help him, he
> would be able to establush the Faith in êrán by himself. the greatest thing which
> happened to Mullá Husayn in Tihrán was his meeting with Bahá'u'lláh. He was taken to
> visit Bahá'u'lláh very quietly, and nobody knows what Bahá'u'lláh told him in that
> interview.
> 
> From the meeting with Bahá'u'lláh, Mullá Husayn went on to the prison of
> Máh-Kú to see the Báb. He arrived there on the evening of the fourth Naw-Rúz after the
> declaration of the Báb. Mullá Husayn was met near the prison by 'Alí Khán, the
> prison-keeper. 'Alí Khán had brought a horse for Mullá Husayn to ride the rest
> of the way, but Mullá Husayn told him, "No, I have promised God that I would make
> the whole of my journey on foot." So, Mullá Husayn walked up the mountain to visit
> the holy Prisoner in His prison.
> 
> Until this time, the Báb had not been allowed to have any visitors spend the
> night with Him in the prison, but 'Alí Khán was so impressed with Mullá Husayn
> that he said to the Báb, "If it is Your wish to have Mullá Husayn stay with You
> this night, I am ready to let him stay, as I have no will of my own. No matter how long
> You want him to saty with you, I will carry out Your command." This is
> how the Báb was able to have Mullá Husayn with Him on the fourth Naw-Rúz after His
> declaration, and for nine days after that.
> 
> During Mullá Husayn's stay with the Báb, more and more deciples began to arrive,
> and they were immediately brought to the Báb without any trouble. the Báb spoke many
> beatiful things to Mullá Husayn during those wonderful days, and Mullá Husayn was very
> happy again. He also received many instructions from the Báb, telling him all the things
> that were going to happen in the future. The last words the Báb said to Mullá Husayn
> were, "A few days after your departure from this place, they will transfer Us to
> another mountain. Ere you arrive at your destination, the news of Our departure from
> Máh-Kú will have reached you."
> 
> Mullá Husayn started on his journey to Mázindarán, as commanded by the Báb.
> 
> The words of the Báb about His transfer were true.
> Someone from Máh-Kú sent a report to the Government telling them that 'Alí Khán
> was too friendly to the Báb, and that day and night more and more people were coming to
> visit Him. The report even said that 'Alí Khán wanted his daughter to marry the
> Báb, but the Báb had refused. Naturally, when Hájí Mírzá çqásí, the Chief
> Minister, heard this, he ordered the Báb to be sent to an even worse prison--- the Castle
> of Chihríq.
> 
> On the way to Mázindarán, Mullá Husayn passed through many towns and villages.
> he stopped in every one of them, gathered the faithful believers together, gave them the
> Báb's love and greetings, and inspired them to increase their teaching and remain strong
> in His way. In Tihrán, Mullá Husayn again had the privilege of being with Bahá'u'lláh
> for a short time. From Bahá'u'lláh he received the courage and strength to carry him
> through the last difficult days of his life.
> 
> Chapter Seven
> 
> From Tihrín, Mullá Husayn went to Mázindarán where he was to have a promise of
> the Báb filfilled. In the Prison at Máh-Kú, the Báb had told Mullá Husayn that in
> Mázindarán there was a hidden treasure which would become revealed to him and would show
> him what he was supposed to do to further the work of the Faith. In Mázindarán, Mullá
> Husayn visited Quddús in the town of Bárfurúsh. He was greeted lovingly by
> Quddús, who did his best to make his guest confortable. Quddús even washed Mullá
> Husayn's feet which were dusty and blistered from the journey. He gave Mullá Husayn the
> seat of honour at the table and introduced him with great reverence to each of the
> believers.
> 
> After dinner, when all the guests had left, Mullá Husayn and Quddús had a long
> talk. Mullá Husayn told Quddús all the wonderful things that had happened when he was
> with the Báb. Then he said, "But He gave me no definite directions about what I
> should do next to teach the cause. He told me that in Mázindarán a hidden treasure would
> be revealed to me, and I would know what to do. From His words, I understood that I would
> never see Him again, and that I would sacrifice my unworthy self in His path. He said to
> me, The Feast of Sacrifice is fast approaching. Arise and gird up the loins of endeavour,
> and let nothing detain you from achieving your destiny. Having attained your destination,
> prepare yourself to receive Us, for We too shall ere long follow you.""
> 
> Quddús then showed Mullá Husayn some writing, and asked him to read it. Mullá
> Husayn read it, and said, "I realize that the Author of these words received them
> from God, and I accept their truth without any question whatever." He than looked at
> Quddús and knew that Quddús had written them himself. He immediately arose and stood
> before Quddús with bowed head and said, "Quddús is the hidden treasure which the
> Báb promosed I would find. Although my Master is now in prison in the mountains of çdhirbayján,
> the reflection of His glory now stands before me." This is the way Mullá
> Husayn recognized in Quddús a sign of the Báb. And this is the way the Báb raised up
> his helpers, even while He was hundreds of kilometres away in prison. No power can stop
> the greatest power --- the Power of God.
> 
> Mullá Husayn was a very unusual young man. he was well educated, had a wide
> knowledge and a beautiful character. Many of the deciples of Shaykh Ahmad
> and Siyyid Kázim thought he was the person to become the Promised One. On the night that
> Mullá Husayn first met the Báb he thought that he was greater in education than the
> Báb. But he had such a pure heart and clear understanding that he was able to see the
> perfect beauty in the Báb, although the Báb was the son of a little-known merchant of Shíráz.
> Later, when many Bábís looked to Mullá Husayn as the most important person next to the
> Báb, Mullá Husayn kept his purity and recognized in Quddús an even greater soul than
> his own. How many of us would be able to do that?
> 
> When Mullá Husayn read the writings of Quddús he gave himself completely to the
> service of Quddús. He promised Quddús that he would follow in his footsteps, obey his
> commands, and in every way make him comfortable and keep him safe. And, until the hour of
> his martydom, Mullá Husayn kept his promise.
> 
> Chapter Eight
> 
> The next morning when the visitors came to see Mullá Husayn, thay were suprised
> to find him waiting on Quddús. The night before when they had been there for dinner,
> Mullá Husayn had been the guest of honour; he was served by Quddús. This morning Mullá
> Husayn had given his seat of honour to Quddús and was only Quddús' servant. When the
> guests were all gathered together, the first words Quddús spoke to Mullá Husayn, so all
> could hear, were: "Now, at this very hour, you should arise, go and speak to the
> Sa'ídu'l-'Ulamá', the chief Priest, and then go to Khurásán. In the town of Mashhad,
> you should build a house in which we can live and receive guests at the same time. To this
> house you will invite every pure soul, and we shall prepare them to join together and
> teach the cause of God."
> 
> Mullá Husayn went to the Sa'ídu'l-'Ulamá' and spoke to him in front of his
> pupils about the New Day. But the Priest was blind to the Truth and angry at Mullá
> Husayn.
> 
> Alone, and detached from evrything but God, Mullá Husayn set out on his journey
> to Mashhad. Mullá Husayn's only companion on this journey was the thought of
> carrying out the wishes of Quddús and fulfilling the promise he had made.
> 
> Immediately after he arrived in Mashhad, he bought a piece of land and
> built the house Quddús had commanded him to build. He named the house the Bábíyyih,
> after the Báb. Working as a team, Mullá Husayn and Quddús taught so many Bábís and
> sent them out to teach that great excitement filled the city of Mashhad.
> After a few months, Quddús left to take part in a conference at Badasht, leaving
> Mullá Husayn to carry on the teaching in Mashhad alone. So many people became
> followers of the Báb that the Government officials and the clergy became angry once
> again. Eventually, the number of Bábís in Mashhad became so great that Mullá
> Husayn was asked by the authorities to leave the city.
> 
> Before Mullá Husayn left Mashhad, hundreds of people came to the
> Bábíyyih to say goodby. many of them begged him to let them go with him on his journey.
> Mothers brought their sons, and sisters their brothers. With tears in their eyes they
> asked him to take them along as a sacrifice to the Almighty. By the time he was ready to
> leave, two hundred and two men had joined him for the journey. Just before leaving Mashhad,
> a messenger came to Mullá Husayn from the Báb. The messenger carried two things, a
> letter and the turban of the Báb. He also carried the news that the Báb had given him a
> new name, Siyyid 'Alí. The message said that he should place upon his head the Báb's
> green turban, which was the sign of His family, and that he must carry the Black Standard
> (a black flag) in front of him, and hurry to give help to the Báb's beloved Quddús.
> Quddús, at this time, had been imprisoned in the home of a relative and was unable to
> teach.
> 
> As soon as the news reached him, Mullá Husayn gathered his two hundred and two
> companions together, raised the Black Standard, placed the Báb's green turban in his
> head, climbed on his horse, and gave the command to march. His men joyfully followed him.
> This took place on the 21st of July 1848.
> 
> Chapter Nine
> 
> As Mullá Husayn and his followers went through each town, they bravely told
> everyone about the New Day. They invited people to follow the Báb and join the march on
> the way to help Quddús. On the way, Mullá Husayn stopped for three days at a small town
> so that everyone could rest. On the third day, he said to his followers, "If there is
> anyone here who is not prepared to suffer greatly for this cause, he should now turn back
> and return to his home." he repeated thses words several times. Finally, he said,
> "Soon I, together with seventy-two of you men, shall suffer death for the sake of our
> Beloved. If you are afraid to die for the cause, you must leave immediately. Later, there
> will be no chance to escape." So terrible did Mullá Husayn make the future sound to
> his men that twenty of them decided to return to their homes.
> 
> In Bárfurúsh, the news was received that Mullá Husayn and his men were
> coming near. The Sa'ídu'l-'Ulamá' in that town had hated Mullá Husayn since he had told
> him of the Báb. as soon as he heard the news, he hurried to the mosque and called all of
> his followers to hear him. The Muslims of Bárfurúsh gathered at the Mosque, and
> when they were all together, they listened to their leader. The priest threw his turban on
> the ground, tore open the neck of his shirt, and started to speak.
> 
> "Awake!" he said. "The enemies of Muhammad are marching toward the
> city. they will wipe out everything that we love about our holy Faith. We must fight them.
> if we do not fight, they will kill all of us. The man who is the head of these killers,
> Mullá Husayn, came one day to my class. He paid no attention to what I was saying and he
> insulted me in front of my own diciples. When I refused to agree with him, he became angry
> and said he would force me to accept his ideas in the future. Now he is coming. His men
> are near the gates of the city. It is the duty of all the people of Bárfurúsh,
> both young and old, both men and women, to collect every gun and knife, stick and stone,
> and fight against these dangerous men. Tomorrow, at the hour of dawn, you must kill every
> man in Mullá Husayn's company."
> 
> So afraid were the people of Bárfurúsh that they would be killed by
> Mullá Husayn that they prepared to fight. They did not know that Mullá Husayn and his
> men wanted only to pass through their town peacefully and tell them about the comming of
> the Promised One. No! They believed their leader without thinking, and prepared themselves
> to kill.
> 
> Mullá Husayn knew what was going to happen next. he knew the Sa'ídu'l-'Ulamá'
> in Bárfurúsh, and he knew that he was a troublemaker. This Muslim chief was still
> jealous of Mullá Husayn because Mullá Husayn was such an intelligent man and had proved
> to him that the Báb was the Promised One. But the Sa'ídu'l-'Ulamá' was an ambitious and
> cruel man. He did not want to follow anyone. He only wanted to be a leader.
> 
> As they approached the town, Mullá Husayn told his companions thay they must now
> throw away everything they owned, except their horses and their swords. He knew the people
> of Bárfurúsh were afraid he and his men would want to kill them and rob them. So
> he said: "Leave behind all your belongings, and be content with your horses and
> swords, so that all may see that you have no interest in earthly things, and that you have
> no desire to guard your own property, much less to covet the property of others!"
> About five kilometres from the town, they were suddenly attacked. People with guns began
> to shoot at them. Six of Mullá Husayn's men were hit immediately. One of them called to
> Mullá Husayn, "Beloved leader, we have come with you for no other reason than to
> sarifice ourselves for the Cause. But please, let us defend ourselves."
> 
> But Mullá Husayn said, "The time has not yet come. The number is not yet
> complete." at that moment a bullet hit Siyyid Ridá in the chest and killed him
> instantly. Siyyid Ridá was a man of pure and simple ways, a strong believer, and Mullá
> Husayn's closest helper. Siyyid Ridá had walked all the way from Mashhad alongside
> Mullá Husayn's horse so he would be ready to help him at a moment's notice. When Mullá
> Husayn saw his dear companion fall, he raised his eyes to heaven and prayed: "Behold,
> O God, my God, the trouble which we have come into, and see what kind of a welcome we have
> received from these people. We have come for no other reason than to teach them the way of
> Truth. You have always commanded us to protect our lives aganst the enemy. We will now
> follow Thy command, and fight to protect ourselves."
> 
> With these words, he took hold of his sword and began to defend himself. He rode
> into the middle of the enemy without fear. Mullá Husayn was a slender man, not very
> strong, whose hand even trembled when he wrote. But, on that day, he showed such strength
> that only God could have given it to him. He went after the man who had killed his beloved
> Siyyid Ridá. The soldier was running away to hide, but Mullá Husayn followed him on his
> horse. The soldier hid himself behind a tree, and also tried to protect himself with his
> gun. But, Mullá Husayn rushed forward, and with one stroke of the sword he cut through
> the trunk of the tree, the barrel of the soldier's gun, and through the body of the
> soldier himself. The tree, gun, and the body fell into six pieces. It seemed impossible to
> any man, but it was true.
> 
> When the men and women of Bárfurúsh saw Mullá Husayn's great strength
> and courage, they dropped their guns and ran for their lives. During all this confusion,
> Mullá Husayn had disappeared from sight. His men raced their horses toward Bárfurúsh
> to try to find him.
> 
> Mullá Husayn had ridden his horse into the town and staight to the house of the
> Sa'ídu'l-'Ulamá'. Three times he rode his horse around the house, and as he did so, he
> called out to him saying, "Come out of your house, you coward. you have forced the
> people of this town to wage holy war against us, but you have hidden yourself in your own
> house. Don't you know that anyone who preaches holy war must himself ride in front of his
> followers so they can see how brave and strong he is? Come out!"
> 
> But the Sa'ídu'l-'Ulamá' did not come out, and when Mullá Husayn's men arrived,
> they found him seated calmly on his horse, unhurt and waiting for them to come. So happy
> were his men to see him that each one of them kissed his feet while he sat on his horse.
> 
> As the people of Bárfurúsh came running back into town, they raised their
> voices in a call of "Peace! Peace!" On the evening of that day, Mullá Husayn
> spoke to a crowd of people. He said to them, "O followers of the Prophet Muhammad,
> why have you risen against us? Why do you try to spill our blood? Do you think that this
> is approved by God? Did we ever say that your Faith was not true? Is this the
> kindness which Muhammad has commanded you to show to believers and non-believers? What
> have we done, for you to try to kill us? Just think---I, with only my sword, was able to
> face thousands of bullets which you shot at me--- and yet I was not hit, nor was even my
> horse hit. I received only a slight scratch on my face. De you know what this means? It
> means that God was protecting me through everything, so that you would be able to
> see that our Faith is from God."
> 
> That evening, although the people of Bárfurúsh cried for peace, they
> would not give Mullá Husayn or his men either bread to eat or water to drink. When they
> were refused all help, Mullá Husayn and his men closed the gates of the yard where they
> were to sleep for the night and put themselves into the hands of God.
> 
> The hour had come for the evening prayer. As is the custom in Muslim countries,
> someone always gets onto a high place and calls the believers to prayer. Mullá Husayn
> asked that someone in his group climb onto the roof of the building and chant the evening
> prayer. Everyone present knew that if he climbed up on the roof he might lose his life,
> because someone in Bárfurúsh might shoot him down. But, so in love with the Faith
> were they, that several offered to do it. The first to start the prayer was a youth. As
> soon as he had said the first words, he was shot down. Mullá Husayn said, "Let
> another of you continue with the prayer." Another youg man climbed onto the roof and
> started the prayer where the boy had left off. He too was shot. Then another. Each person
> was killed while in prayer. When the third person had been killed, Mullá Husayn threw
> open the gate of the yard, jumped on his horse, called to his men, and they all rode out
> to attack the enemy. Within a few minutes the entire crowd was either killed, or they had
> ran away. the street was filled with the dead people of Bárfurúsh, and God once
> again proved to them that He could win over His enemies.
> 
> To show how God punishes men who go against His Will, this is what later happened
> to the Sa'ídu'l-'Ulamá', who was the cause of all this trouble. The Sa'ídu'l-'Ulamá'
> became sick with a terrible disease. Although he wore heavy furs and kept a fire burning
> all the time in his room, he shivered with cold. At the same time, his fever was so high
> that he was always dry and could not stop his thirst. He soon died, and his house, which
> was very beautiful, was left with no one in it and no one to take care of it. It fell to
> pieces, and little by little the people of the town began to dump all their garbage and
> junk in the yards. So well known has become this story that even today, when people
> quarrel, they say to each other: "I hope the same thing happens to your house that
> happened to the house of the Sa'ídu'l-'Ulamá'."
> 
> Mullá Husayn and his companions left Bárfurúsh the next day and the day
> after that, at dawn, Mullá Husayn called all his companions together and told them that
> they were almost at the end of the journey. Noticing that some of the men were carrying
> some of the enemy's belongings, he ordered them to leave everything behind. He said,
> "It is necessary that you arrive at the end of this journey with nothing except your
> swords and your horses." He then walked ahead of his men until he came to a shine, a
> small building which contained the tomb of the Muslim saint, Shaykh Tabarsi.
> 
> Chapter Ten
> 
> The night before Mullá Husayn arrived at the Shrine of Shaykh
> Tabarsí, the guardian of the Shrine had a dream. He dreamt that the êmám Husayn, one of
> the êmáms descended from Muhammad, arrived at the Shrine with seventy-two soldiers and a
> large number of companions. He also dreamt that they stayed at this Shrine for some time,
> took part in many fights against their enemies, and won all those battles. One of the most
> important parts of the dream was that the Prophet of God Himself came to the Shrine and
> blessed the company. Later, all these things came true.
> 
> When Mullá Husayn arrived at the Shrine on the next day, the guardian immediately
> recognized him as the êmám Husayn whom he had seen in his dream. He threw himself at
> Mullá Husayn's feet and kissed them lovingly. He even joined Mullá Husayn's company,and
> was later killed by the enemy in one of the battles.
> 
> On the very same day that they arrived at the Shrine of Shaykh
> Tabarsí, Mullá Husayn decided he must build a fort around this shrine to protect his men
> from their enemies. He therefore gave the plans of the fort to Mírzá Muhammad-Báqir,
> who had built the Bábíyyih. He immediately started to gather the material to build the
> fort. But that evening, even before he had started to build, a large number of horsemen
> arrived to start a fight. The followers of Mullá Husayn wasted no time. They raised the
> cry of 'Ya Sáhibu'z-Zamán* and in a few minutes they had driven the horsemen away.
> 
> Mullá Husayn then ordered that the fort should be built immediately. During the
> next few days, they were attacked again three times, but each time they drove the enemy
> away and went ahead with their work of building the fort. As soon as the fort was
> completed, Mullá Husayn received the news that Bahá'u'lláh had arrived in the nearby
> village. Bahá'u'lláh said that He was to visit them that afternoon, and then they were
> all to be His guests in the eveing.
> 
> Can you imagine what happiness must have filled the hearts of Mullá
> Husayn to have Bahá'u'lláh as his guest? And do you remember the dream which the
> guardian of the Shrine had? The Prophet of God had come to give His blessing to the Fort
> of Shaykh Tabarsí. nothng could now go wrong with the plan of God.
> 
> As soon as Mullá Husayn had learned that Bahá'u'lláh was coming, he set
> everyone to work to get the fort cleaned and ready. He himself joined them in sweeping the
> Shrine, and sprinkling water around the ground to keep down the dust. And when
> Bahá'u'lláh arrived, Mullá Husayn took Him into his arms with such love and
> tenderness that everyone present wondered Who this man Bahá'u'lláh was, and why Mullá
> Husayn gave Him so much loving attention. You see, no one yet knew Who
> Bahá'u'lláh was. Their love was still for the Báb and none other. But as Bahá'u'lláh
> began to speak to them, they began to see how wonderful He was. However, none of the men
> realized that He was to be a Prophet of God.
> 
> While Bahá'u'lláh was visiting the fort, He inspected the work, said He was
> pleased with everything, and then explained some things to Mullá Husayn which would help
> to make the men more confortable and safe. Then He said, "The one thing this fort and
> company require is the presence of Quddús." Bahá'u'lláh knew that if Quddús were
> there, everything would be perfect. So He told Mullá Husayn to send Mullá Mihdí and six
> men to the town of Sárí to demand the release of Quddús from the home of his relative
> where he was kept.
> 
> Before Bahá'u'lláh left the fort, He spoke to everyone assuring them that, no
> matter what happened at Shaykh Tabarsí, they nust be patient and accept the
> will of the Almighty. "If it be His will,"He added, "We shall once again
> visit you at this same spot, and shall lend you Our assistance. You have been chosen of
> God to be the vanguard of His host and the establishers of His Faith. His host verily will
> conquer. Whatever may befall, victory is yours, a victory which is complete and
> certain." With these words, he left the fort and returned to Tihrán.
> 
> * O lord of the Age!
> 
> Chapter Eleven
> 
> Before Quddús arrived at the fort, Mullá Husayn called all his followers
> together and told them that Quddús was coming. He told them that the Báb and
> Bahá'u'lláh wanted Quddus to be there, and that they must behave toward Quddús as if he
> were the Báb Himself. 'As for myself,' he said, 'You must consider me his lowly servant.
> You must obey Quddús so completely that even if he were to tell you that you must all
> kill me, you must obey without hesitation. If you hesitate, you will be untrue to your
> faith. You must not talk to him inless he invites you to. You must give up your own wishes
> and desires, and follow his plans and his commands. You must act in such a way that I will
> be proud of you."
> 
> When a messenger brought word that Quddús was soon to arrive at the fort, Mullá
> Husayn jumped to his feet and took about a hundred of his companions to meet him. He
> placed two candles in the hands of each man, lighted them himself, and off they went
> marching into the night. In the forest, they met Quddús and lighted his way back to the
> fort, singing a hymn with the words, "Holy, Holy, the Lord our God, the Lord of
> angels and the spirit!"
> 
> When Quddús arrived at the fort, his first words were a prophecy of the Qur'án
> about the Promised One. Straight after that, he mentioned Bahá'u'lláh, and asked Mullá
> Husayn about Him. Mullá Husayn told Quddús that Bahá'u'lláh would return to the fort
> at a later time, if God willed.
> 
> From this point on in the life of Mullá Husayn, he became the simple servant of
> Quddús. Whatever Quddús wanted him to do, he did with great joy and without question.
> Many a night, Mullá Husayn would walk around and around the place where Quddús lay
> asleep, and he chanted special prayers for him. On one of those nights he told one of the
> companions, who had been quietly praying, not to try to become a martyr. "Then you
> will be able to understand, when the year'80 comes, the secret of the things which now lie
> hidden from you," said Mullá Husayn. The year'80 was 1863,*the year when
> Bahá'u'lláh made His declaration to the world. So great was Mullá
> Husayn's spirit and knowledge that he immediately swept away everyone's fears.
> 
> there were many reasons during those next few weeks for the companions of Mullá
> Husayn and Quddús to be afraid and to doubt. Sa'ídu'l-'Ulamá' wanted all the Bábís
> killed, so most people living near the fort would not help them. A few people did,
> however, help, but when the Sháh sent soldiers, the bread supply to the fort was
> cut off, and later, the water supply too. Many times, the Bábís were attacked, and many
> men died while defending the fort.
> 
> Prince Mihdí-Qulí Mírzá came with an army to the fort. He sent a messenger to
> ask Mullá Husayn why they had built the Fort. Mullá Husayn told the Prince, We have no
> thought of fighting the Government. Our Cause is a religious one, and we are being
> attacked by people who are being led by the ministers of religion. We can prove to anyone
> that our Message is the Truth from God. If you want to know the Truth, bring the leaders
> of religion from the towns of Sári and Bárfurúsh to this fort. We will prove
> everything to you from the Qur'án. Let the Prince himself decide if our Cause is true or
> false."
> 
> (At a later time, Bahá'u'lláh taught that it is no longer permitted
> to use the sword as a means of settling religious disputes. In fact, Bahá'is do not use
> weapons at all unless the Government requires them to. But, during the time of the Báb,
> it was permitted to defend oneself with weapons.)
> 
> But instead of bringing the religious leaders, the Prince attacked the fort.
> 
> With the signal "Mount your steeds, O heroes of God!," Quddús, followed
> by Mullá Husayn, led two hundred and two of their men into the fight. They rode in the
> direction of Vás-Kas, where the Prince was quartered. Although the enemy tried to stop
> them, the Bábís rode as though there were no one in the way. Mullá Husayn led the way,
> and rode right through the gate and into the private rooms of the Prince. The Prince was
> so afraid that he jumped out the back window and ran away without shoes! His men ran away,
> also, and two other princes were killed in the fighting. The Bábís found containers full
> of gold and silver, but did not touch them. All they took was a pot of gunpowder and the
> Prince's favourite sword. This was given to Mullá Husayn.
> 
> While the Bábís were reorganizing themselves on the field, Mullá Husayn watched
> the enemy in case of another attack. Suddenly, the enemy came riding toward them again.
> The men raised the cry of "Yá Sáhibu'z-Zamán!" and Mullá Husayn rode in one
> directions while Quddús and his companions rode in another. So well known was Mullá
> Husayn for his strength and courage in using the sword that the enemy turned from him and
> went to Quddús instead. All at once they fired a thousand bullets, and Quddús was hit in
> the mouth by one of them. As soon as Mullá Husayn heard the sound of the guns, he turned
> his horse in the direction of Quddús to help him. When Mullá Husayn saw that Quddús had
> been hurt and the blood was dripping from his mouth, he raised his hands and was about to
> beat himself, when Quddús made him stop. Then Mullá Husayn, filled with more strength
> than he had ever felt before, took the sword of Quddús in one hand and the sword of the
> Prince in the other. With a hundred and ten men behind him, he went into the battle
> swinging both swords. He fought so hard and so well that within thirty minutes, the entire
> army of the Prince was beaten and ran away.
> 
> The Sháh was surprised by the news that the Prince had lost the fight, and
> so he sent another army to help him. This army built seven walls around the Fort of Shaykh
> Tabarsí. As the Bábís were running out of water, Mullá Husayn gave the order to dig a
> well. One the day they were to finish the well, Mullá Husayn said: "Today we shall
> all have enough water for a bath. We must make ourselves clean, because soon we shall
> taste the cup of martyrdom. All of you who are willing to die for the Almighty must now
> prepare yourselves and wait for the hour of attack. This night, before the hour of dawn,
> all those who wish may join me and rush forward to meet the enemy, and to return forever
> to our Beloved."
> 
> That afternoon, Mullá Husayn washed himself, put on new cloths, wrapped the
> Báb's green turban around his head, and waited for the final hour. He was completely
> happy, and spent the time with his companions giving them joy and courage. He spent some
> time alone with Quddús, and told Quddús all the things that were in his heart. Then,
> soon after midnight, as soon as he saw the morning star, he jumped to his feet, climbed on
> his horse, and gave the signal to open the gates of the fort. Behind him three hundred and
> thirteen men rushed out to meet the enemy. Once again, the cry of "Yá
> Sáhibu'z-Zamán!" filled the forest around them.
> 
> Mullá Husayn rushed forward and within a short time he and his men had ruined all
> seven of the walls built by the enemy. The three armies of the Sháh--- one led by
> the Prince and another by 'Abbás-Qulí Khán--- were both suprised and overcome.
> But 'Abbás-Qulí Khán had climbed a tree, and was waiting for his chance to kill
> whoever came near. He could see Mullá Husayn and the Bábís fighting because of the
> light which came from their guns. But no one could see 'Abbás-Qulí Khán in the
> tree because it was dark. Suddenly, the horse which Mullá Husayn was riding got caught up
> in the rope of a tent, and before the horse was able to get away, 'Abbás-Qulí Khán
> shot a bullet at Mullá Husayn's chest. Although 'Abbás-Qulí Khán did not know
> who he had shot, he was successful. Mullá Husayn got off his horse bleeding, tried to
> walk a few steps, but fell to the ground. Two of his companions saw him fall and carried
> him back to the Fort. he seemed to be unconscious.
> 
> As soon a Mullá Husayn was brought into the Fort, Quddús gave orders to be left
> alone with him. Everyone left Mullá Husayn and Quddús alone in his room, but they stood
> outside the door and waited. Soon they were suprised to hear Mullá Husayn answering
> questions asked by Quddús. One of the men had been looking through a crack in the door
> and saw Quddús call to Mullá Husayn. A soon as his name was called, Mullá Husayn rose
> up, and then sat himself on his knees in fron of Quddús as he usually did. With his head
> bowed and his eyes down, he listened to everything Quddús said. One of the bits of
> conversation which was overheard was this: Quddús said to Mullá Husayn, "You have
> hurried to leave this world, and you are leaving me alone against the enemy. If it pleases
> God, I will join you in a short time, and I shall also taste the sweetness of being in
> heaven." All that could be heard of Mullá Husayn's answer was: "May my life be
> given for you. Are you well pleased with me?"
> 
> For two hours, Mullá Husayn and Quddús conversed with each other, but no one
> knows what they said. After a long time, Quddús opened the door to his companions and
> said, "I have said my last goodby to Mullá Husayn. I have told him many things which
> I could not tell him before." When they went to where Mullá Husayn lay, he was dead,
> but there was a little smile still on his face, and he looked so peacefull it seemed as
> though he had only fallen asleep.
> 
> Quddús himself took care of Mullá Husayn's body. He put his own shirt on Mullá
> Husayn and gave the order for him to be buried to the south of, and next to, the Shrine of
> Shaykh Tabarsí. Quddús' last words to Mullá Husayn before he was buied
> were: "Well is it with you to have remained faithful to the Covenant of God to your
> last hour. I pray God that there will never be a division between you and me." He
> then kissed the eyes and forehead of Mullá Husayn, and laid the body in the grave
> himself. The seven believers standing near were so moved that they wept. He told everyone
> there that they must keep secret the place where Mullá Husayn was buried. He then
> commanded that the thirty-six men who had been martyred that day be buried on the north
> side of the Shrine--all in one grave. And his final word to them was: "Let the loved
> ones of God learn from the example of these martyrs of our Faith. Let them be and remain
> as united in life as these are now in death."
> 
> * The year 1280 ('80 for short) in the Muslim calendar is the year 1863-64 in the
> Christian calendar.
> 
> Epilogue
> 
> The time from the day when Mullá Husayn was first attacked by his enemies to the
> day of his martyrdom was one hundred and sixteen days. The number of martyrs killed during
> those one hundred and sixteen days was seventy-two. In four different battles, Mullá
> Husayn had shown such courage and power that it could have only come from God. He was
> thirty-six years old when he died. At the age of eighteen, he first met Siyyid Kázim. For
> nine years he studied under him. The other nine years of his life were spent in teaching
> and protecting the Faith of God against its enemies.
> 
> When the Báb learned of Mullá Husayn's death, he wrote praises and prayers for
> him which would equal three times the length of the Qu'án. In one of His Tablets, the
> Báb wrote that the very dust where the body of Mullá Husayn lies buried can bring
> happiness to the down-hearted and healing to the sick. In the Kitáb-i-Iqán,
> Bahá'u'lláh pays him the highest tribute. He wrote: "But for him, God would
> not have been established upon the seat of His mercy, nor have ascended the throne of
> eternal glory!"
> 
> Mullá Husayn is one of the greatest men in the history of the Bahá'i Faith and
> his memory lives today and will live for hunreds of yeaars as an inspiration and an
> example for all who walk in the path of God.
> 
> Sources
> 
> The following books were consulted in the writing of this story of Mullá
> Husayn:
> 
> Bahá'u'lláh and 'Abdu'l-Bahá, Bahá'i World Faith
> (Wilmette, 1956)
> 
> Nabíl, The Dawn-Breakers (Wilmette, 1932)
> 
> METADATA
> 
> Views34388 views since posted 2002; last edit 2015-03-18 21:44 UTC;
> 
> previous at archive.org.../johnson_mulla_husayn;
> URLs changed in 2010, see archive.org.../bahai-library.org
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> — *Mulla Husayn (Used by permission of the curator)*