OON after Tahirih had
started on her journey, Baha'u'llah instructed Aqay-i-Kalim to complete
the necessary preparations for His contemplated
departure for Khurasan. He committed to his
care His family and asked him to provide whatever might
be conducive to their well-being and safety.
When He arrived at Shah-Rud, He was met by Quddus,
who had left Mashhad, where he had been residing, and had
come to welcome Him as soon as he had heard of His approach.
The whole province of Khurasan was in those days
in the throes of a violent agitation. The activities which
Quddus and Mulla Husayn had initiated, their zeal, their
courage, their outspoken language, had aroused the people
from their lethargy, had kindled in the hearts of some the
noblest sentiments of faith and devotion, and had provoked
in the breasts of others the instincts of passionate fanaticism
and malice. A multitude of seekers constantly poured from
every direction into Mashhad, eagerly sought the residence
of Mulla Husayn, and through him were ushered into the
presence of Quddus.
Their numbers soon swelled to such proportions as to
excite the apprehension of the authorities. The chief constable
viewed with concern and dismay the crowds of agitated
people who streamed unceasingly into every quarter of the
holy City. In his desire to assert his rights, intimidate Mulla
Husayn, and induce him to curtail the scope of his activities,
he issued orders to arrest immediately the latter's special
attendant, whose name was Hasan, and subject him to cruel
and shameful treatment. They pierced his nose, passed a
cord through the incision, and with this halter led and paraded
him through the streets.
Mulla Husayn was in the presence of Quddus when the
news of the disgraceful affliction that had befallen his servant
In the face of so solemn an assurance, his companions
ventured no further remarks. Their hearts, however, burned
with impatience to redress that bitter injury. A number of
them eventually decided to band themselves together and
loudly raise, through the streets of Mashhad, the cry of
"Ya Sahibu'z-Zaman!"(1) as a protest against this sudden affront
to the dignity of their Faith. That cry was the first of its
kind to be raised in Khurasan in the name of the Cause of
God. The city re-echoed with the sound of those voices.
The reverberations of their shouts reached even the most
outlying regions of the province, raised a great tumult in
the hearts of the people, and were the signal for the tremendous
happenings that were destined to transpire in the future.
In the midst of the confusion that ensued, those who
were holding the halter with which they dragged Hasan
through the streets, perished by the sword. The companions
of Mulla Husayn conducted the released captive into the
presence of their leader and informed him of the fate that
had befallen the oppressor. "You have refused," Mulla
Husayn is reported to have remarked, "to tolerate the trials
to which Hasan has been subjected; how can you reconcile
yourselves to the martyrdom of Husayn?"(2)
The city of Mashhad, which had just recovered its peace
and tranquillity after the rebellion that the Salar had provoked,
was plunged again into confusion and distress. Prince
Hamzih Mirza was stationed with his men and munitions at
a distance of four farsangs(3) from the city, ready to face
whatever emergency might arise when the news of these
fresh disturbances suddenly reached him. He immediately
The prince, who knew full well how much he stood in
need of that officer, was greatly embarrassed at this unexpected
declaration. "I too have met Mulla Husayn," was
his reply as he tried to remove the apprehension of Abdu'l-'Ali
Khan. "I too cherish the utmost devotion to him. By
summoning him to my camp, I am hoping to restrict the
scope of the mischief which has been kindled and to safeguard
his person." The prince then addressed in his own
handwriting a letter to Mulla Husayn in which he urged the
extreme desirability of his transferring his residence for a
few days to his headquarters, and assured him of his sincere
desire to shield him from the attacks of his infuriated opponents.
He gave orders that his own highly ornamented
tent be pitched in the vicinity of his camp and be reserved
for the reception of his expected guest.
On the receipt of this communication, Mulla Husayn
presented it to Quddus, who advised him to respond to the
invitation of the prince. "No harm can befall you," Quddus
assured him. "As to me, I shall this very night set out in
the company of Mirza Muhammad-'Aliy-i-Qazvini, one of
the Letters of the Living, for Mazindaran. Please God, you
too, later on, at the head of a large company of the faithful
and preceded by the `Black Standards,' will depart from
Mashhad and join me. We shall meet at whatever place the
Almighty will have decreed."
Mulla Husayn joyously responded. He threw himself at
the feet of Quddus and assured him of his firm determination
to discharge with fidelity the obligations which he had imposed
upon him. Quddus lovingly took him in his arms and,
kissing his eyes and his forehead, committed him to the
That very night, Quddus summoned to his presence
Mirza Muhammad-Baqir-i-Qa'ini, who had built the Babiyyih,
together with a number of the most prominent among his
companions, and enjoined upon them to bear unquestioned
allegiance to Mulla Husayn and to obey implicitly whatever
he might wish them to do. "Tempestuous are the storms
which lie ahead of us," he told them. "The days of stress
and violent commotion are fast approaching. Cleave to him,
for in obedience to his command lies your salvation."
With these words, Quddus bade farewell to his companions
and, accompanied by Mirza Muhammad-'Aliy-i-Qazvini, departed
from Mashhad. A few days later, he encountered
Mirza Sulayman-i-Nuri, who informed him of the circumstances
attending the deliverance of Tahirih from her confinement
in Qazvin, of her journey in the direction of
Khurasan, and of Baha'u'llah's subsequent departure from
the capital. Mirza Sulayman, as well as Mirza Muhammad-Ali,
No sooner had Baha'u'llah been informed by Muhammad-i-Hana-Sab
of the arrival of Quddus at Shah-Rud than He
decided to join him. Attended by Mulla Muhammad-i-Mu'allim-i-Nuri,
He set out on horseback that same evening
for that village, and had returned with Quddus to
Badasht the next morning at the hour of sunrise.
It was then the beginning of summer. Upon His arrival,
Baha'u'llah rented three gardens, one of which He assigned
exclusively to the use of Quddus, another He set apart for
Tahirih and her attendant, and reserved the third for Himself.
Each day of that
memorable gathering witnessed the
abrogation of a new law and the repudiation of a long-established
tradition. The veils that guarded the sanctity
of the ordinances of Islam were sternly rent asunder, and
the idols that had so long claimed the adoration of their
blind worshippers were rudely demolished. No one knew,
however, the Source whence these bold and defiant innovations
proceeded, no one suspected the Hand which steadily
and unerringly steered their course. Even the identity of
Him who had bestowed a new name upon each of those who
had congregated in that hamlet remained unknown to those
who had received them. Each conjectured according to his
own degree of understanding. Few, if any, dimly surmised
that Baha'u'llah was the Author of the far-reaching changes
which were being so fearlessly introduced.
Shaykh Abu-Turab, one of the best-informed as to the
nature of the developments in Badasht, is reported to have
related the following incident: "Illness, one day, confined
Baha'u'llah to His bed. Quddus, as soon as he heard of
His indisposition, hastened to visit Him. He seated himself,
when ushered into His presence, on the right hand of
"Muhammad-Hasan, who had seated himself at the feet
of Quddus, had stretched forth his neck to receive the fatal
blow, when suddenly the figure of Tahirih, adorned and
unveiled, appeared before the eyes of the assembled companions.
Consternation immediately seized the entire gathering.(2)
All stood aghast before this sudden and most unexpected
"Quietly, silently, and with the utmost dignity, Tahirih
stepped forward and, advancing towards Quddus, seated
herself on his right-hand side. Her unruffled serenity sharply
contrasted with the affrighted countenances of those who
were gazing upon her face. Fear, anger, and bewilderment
stirred the depths of their souls. That sudden revelation
seemed to have stunned their faculties. Abdu'l-Khaliq-i-Isfahani
was so gravely shaken that he cut his throat with
his own hands. Covered with blood and shrieking with
excitement, he fled away from the face of Tahirih. A few,
following his example, abandoned their companions and forsook
their Faith. A number were seen standing speechless
before her, confounded with wonder. Quddus, meanwhile,
had remained seated in his place, holding the unsheathed
sword in his hand, his face betraying a feeling of inexpressible
anger. It seemed as if he were waiting for the moment when
he could strike his fatal blow at Tahirih.
"His threatening attitude failed, however, to move her.
Her countenance displayed that same dignity and confidence
which she had evinced at the first moment of her appearance
before the assembled believers. A feeling of joy and
triumph had now illumined her face. She rose from her
seat and, undeterred by the tumult that she had raised in
the hearts of her companions, began to address the remnant
of that assembly. Without the least premeditation, and in
language which bore a striking resemblance to that of the
Qur'an, she delivered her appeal with matchless eloquence
and profound fervour. She concluded her address with this
verse of the Qur'an: `Verily, amid gardens and rivers shall
the pious dwell in the seat of truth, in the presence of the
potent King.' As she uttered these words, she cast a furtive
glance towards both Baha'u'llah and Quddus in such a
manner that those who were watching her were unable to
tell to which of the two she was alluding. Immediately
"She then turned her face towards Quddus and rebuked
him for having failed to perform in Khurasan those things
which she deemed essential to the welfare of the Faith. `I
am free to follow the promptings of my own conscience,'
retorted Quddus. `I am not subject to the will and pleasure
of my fellow-disciples.' Turning away her eyes from him,
Tahirih invited those who were present to celebrate befittingly
this great occasion. `This day is the day of festivity
and universal rejoicing,' she added, `the day on which the
fetters of the past are burst asunder. Let those who have
shared in this great achievement arise and embrace each
other.'"
That memorable day and those which immediately followed
it witnessed the most revolutionary changes in the
life and habits of the assembled followers of the Bab. Their
manner of worship underwent a sudden and fundamental
transformation. The prayers and ceremonials by which those
devout worshippers had been disciplined were irrevocably
Tahirih herself ventured on a few occasions to repudiate
the authority of Quddus. "I deem him," she is reported to
have declared, "a pupil whom the Bab has sent me to edify
and instruct. I regard him in no other light." Quddus did
not fail, on his part, to denounce Tahirih as "the author of
heresy," and stigmatised those who advocated her views as
"the victims of error." This state of tension persisted for a
few days until Baha'u'llah intervened and, in His masterly
manner, effected a complete reconciliation between them.
He healed the wounds which that sharp controversy had
caused, and directed the efforts of both along the path of
constructive service.(1)
The object of that memorable gathering had been attained.(2)
The clarion-call of the new Order had been sounded.
Baha'u'llah's sojourn in Badasht lasted two and twenty
days. In the course of their journey to Mazindaran, a few
of the followers of the Bab sought to abuse the liberty which
the repudiation of the laws and sanctions of an outgrown
Faith had conferred upon them. They viewed the unprecedented
action of Tahirih in discarding the veil as a signal
to transgress the bounds of moderation and to gratify their
selfish desires. The excesses in which a few indulged provoked
the wrath of the Almighty and caused their immediate
dispersion. In the village of Niyala, they were grievously
tested and suffered severe injuries at the hands of their
enemies. This scattering extinguished the mischief which a
few of the irresponsible among the adherents of the Faith
had sought to kindle, and preserved untarnished its honour
and dignity.
I have heard Baha'u'llah Himself describe that incident:
Baha'u'llah, accompanied by Tahirih and her attendant,
proceeded to Nur. He appointed Shaykh Abu-Turab to
watch over her and ensure her protection and safety. Meanwhile
the mischief-makers were endeavouring to kindle the
anger of Muhammad Shah against Baha'u'llah, and, by representing
Him as the prime mover of the disturbances of
Shah-Rud and Mazindaran, succeeded eventually in inducing
the sovereign to have Him arrested. "I have hitherto," the
Shah is reported to have angrily remarked, "refused to countenance
whatever has been said against him. My indulgence
has been actuated by my recognition of the services rendered
to my country by his father. This time, however, I am
determined to put him to death."
He accordingly commanded one of his officers in Tihran
to instruct his son who was residing in Mazindaran to arrest
Quddus had in the meantime fallen into the hands of his
opponents, and was confined in Sari in the home of Mirza
Muhammad-Taqi, the leading mujtahid of that town. The
rest of his companions, after their dispersal in Niyala, had
scattered in different directions, each carrying with him to
his fellow-believers the news of the momentous happenings
of Badasht.
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