HE spark that had kindled
the great conflagrations of Mazindaran and Nayriz had already set aflame
Zanjan(1) and its surroundings when the Bab
met His death in Tabriz. Profound as was His sorrow
at the sad and calamitous fate that had overtaken the heroes
of Shaykh Tabarsi, the news of the no less tragic sufferings
that had been the lot of Vahid and his companions, came as
an added blow to His heart, already oppressed by the weight
of manifold afflictions. The consciousness of the dangers
that thickened around Him; the memory of the indignity
He endured when He was last conducted to Tabriz; the strain
of a prolonged and rigorous captivity amidst the mountain
fastnesses of Adhirbayjan; the terrible butcheries that marked
the closing stages of the Mazindaran and Nayriz upheavals;
the outrages to His Faith wrought by the persecutors of the
Seven Martyrs of Tihran--even these were not all the troubles
I now proceed to relate the circumstances that have made
of that event one of the most thrilling episodes in the history
of this Revelation. Its chief figure was Hujjat-i-Zanjani,
whose name was Mulla Muhammad-'Ali,(2) one of the ablest
ecclesiastical dignitaries of his age, and certainly one of the
most formidable champions of the Cause. His father, Mulla
Rahim-i-Zanjani, was one of the leading mujtahids of Zanjan,
and was greatly esteemed for his piety, his learning and
force of character. Mulla Muhammad-'Ali, surnamed Hujjat,
was born in the year 1227 A.H.(3) From his very boyhood, he
showed such capacity that his father lavished the utmost
care upon his education. He sent him to Najaf, where he
distinguished himself by his insight, his ability and fiery
ardour.(4) His scholarship and keen intelligence excited the
admiration of his friends, whilst his outspokenness and the
strength of his character made him the terror of his adversaries.
His father advised him not to return to Zanjan,
From the pulpit of the masjid which his friends erected
in his honour, he urged the vast throng that gathered to
hear him, to refrain from self-indulgence and to exercise
moderation in all their acts.(3) He ruthlessly suppressed
every form of abuse, and by his example encouraged the people
to adhere rigidly to the principles inculcated by the Qur'an.
Such were the care and ability with which he taught his disciples
that they surpassed in knowledge and understanding
the recognised ulamas of Zanjan. For seventeen years, he
pursued his meritorious labours and succeeded in purging
the minds and hearts of his fellow-townsmen from whatever
seemed contrary to the spirit and teachings of their Faith.(4)
When the Call from Shiraz reached him, he despatched
his trusted messenger, Mulla Iskandar, to enquire into the
claims of the new Revelation; and such was his response to
They accordingly drew up a petition to Muhammad
Shah, in which they sought, by every device their malevolent
and crafty minds could invent, to discredit his name. "While
still professing himself a follower of our Faith," they complained,
"he, by the aid of his disciples, was able to repudiate
our authority. Now that he has identified himself with the
cause of the Siyyid-i-Bab and won over to that hateful creed
two-thirds of the inhabitants of Zanjan, what humiliation
will he not inflict upon us! The concourse that throngs his
gates, the whole masjid can no longer contain. Such is his
influence that the masjid that belonged to his father and the
one that has been built in his honour, have been connected
and made into one edifice in order to accommodate the ever-increasing
multitude that hastens eagerly to follow his lead
in prayer. The time is fast approaching when not only
Zanjan but the neighbouring villages also will have declared
themselves his supporters."
The Shah was greatly surprised at the tone and language
with which the petitioners sought to arraign Hujjat. He
shared his astonishment with Mirza Nazar-'Ali, the Hakim-Bashi,
and recalled the glowing tribute which many a visitor
to Zanjan had paid to the abilities and integrity of the accused.
He decided to summon him, together with his opponents,
to Tihran. In a special gathering at which he himself,
together with Haji Mirza Aqasi and the leading officials of
the government, as well as a number of the recognised ulamas
His arrival at Zanjan was the signal for a fierce outburst
on the part of his humiliated opponents. As the evidences
of their hostility multiplied, the marks of devotion on the
part of his friends and supporters correspondingly increased.(2)
Utterly disdainful of their machinations, he pursued his
activities with unrelaxing zeal.(3) The liberal principles which
he unceasingly and fearlessly advocated struck at the very
root of the fabric which a bigoted enemy had laboriously
reared. They beheld with impotent fury the disruption of
their authority and the collapse of their institutions.
It was in those days that his special envoy, Mashhadi
Ahmad, whom he had confidentially despatched to Shiraz
with a petition and gifts from him to the Bab, arrived at
As soon as he attempted to lead the congregation in
offering the Friday prayer, enjoined upon him by the Bab,(1)
the Imam-Jum'ih, who had hitherto performed that duty,
vehemently protested, on the ground that this right was
the exclusive privilege of his own forefathers, that it had
been conferred upon him by his sovereign, and that no one,
however exalted his station, could usurp it. "That right,"
Hujjat retorted, "has been superseded by the authority
with which the Qa'im Himself has invested me. I have been
commanded by Him to assume that function publicly, and
I cannot allow any person to trespass upon that right. If
attacked, I will take steps to defend myself and to protect
the lives of my companions."
His fearless insistence on the duty laid upon him by the
Bab caused the ulamas of Zanjan to league themselves with
the Imam-Jum'ih(2) and to lay their complaints before Haji
Mirza Aqasi, pleading that Hujjat had challenged the validity
A Kurd named Qilij Khan was commissioned by the
Shah to deliver the royal summons to Hujjat. The Bab had
meanwhile arrived in the neighbourhood of Tihran on His
way to Tabriz. Ere the arrival of the royal messenger at
Zanjan, Hujjat had sent one of his friends, a certain
Khan-Muhammad-i-Tub-Chi, to his Master with a petition in which
he begged to be allowed to rescue Him from the hands of
the enemy. The Bab assured him that His deliverance the
Almighty alone could achieve and that no one could escape
from His decree or evade His law. "As to your meeting with
Me," He added, "it soon will take place in the world beyond,
the home of unfading glory."
The day Hujjat received that message, Qilij Khan
arrived at Zanjan, acquainted him with the orders he had received,
and set out, accompanied by him, for the capital. Their
arrival at Tihran coincided with the Bab's departure from
the village of Kulayn, where He had been detained for some
days.
The authorities, apprehensive lest a meeting between the
Bab and Hujjat might lead to fresh disturbances, had taken
the necessary precautions to ensure the absence of the latter
from Zanjan during the Bab's passage through that town.
The companions who were following Hujjat at a distance,
whilst he was on his way to the capital, were urged by him
to return and try to meet their Master and to assure Him of
his readiness to come to His rescue. On their way back to
their homes, they encountered the Bab, who again expressed
His desire that no one of His friends should attempt to
No sooner had that message been delivered to those who
had gone out to welcome Him on His approach to their town
As soon as they were met by the guards who were marching
in advance of their Captive, they were ruthlessly dispersed.
On reaching a fork in the road, there arose an altercation
Mirza Ma'sum, the former owner of the caravanserai,
had lately died, and his eldest son, Mirza Muhammad-'Ali,
the leading physician of Hamadan, who, though not a believer,
was a true lover of the Bab, had arrived at Zanjan
and was in mourning for his father. He lovingly received
the Bab in the caravanserai he had specially prepared beforehand
for His reception. That night he remained until a
late hour in His presence and was completely won over to
His Cause.
"The same night that witnessed my conversion," I heard
him subsequently relate, "I arose ere break of day, lit my
lantern, and, preceded by my father's attendant, directed
my steps towards the caravanserai. The guards who were
stationed at the entrance recognised me and allowed me to
enter. The Bab was performing His ablutions when I was
ushered into His presence. I was greatly impressed when
I saw Him absorbed in His devotions. A feeling of reverent
joy filled my heart as I stood behind Him and prayed. I
myself prepared His tea and was offering it to Him when
He turned to me and bade me depart for Hamadan. `This
town,' He said, `will be thrown into a great tumult, and its
streets will run with blood.' I expressed my strong desire
to be allowed to shed my blood in His path. He assured me
that the hour of my martyrdom had not yet come, and bade
me be resigned to whatever God might decree. At the hour
On his arrival at Tihran, Hujjat was conducted into the
presence of Haji Mirza Aqasi; who, on behalf of the Shah
and himself, expressed his annoyance at the intense hostility
which his conduct had aroused among the ulamas of Zanjan.
"Muhammad Shah and I," he told him, "are continually
besieged by the oral as well as written denunciations brought
against you. I could scarcely believe their indictment relating
to your desertion of the Faith of your forefathers.
Nor is the Shah inclined to credit such assertions. I have
been commanded by him to summon you to his capital and
to call upon you to refute such accusations. It grieves me
to hear that a man whom I consider infinitely superior in
knowledge and ability to the Siyyid-i-Bab has chosen to
identify himself with his creed." "Not so," replied Hujjat;
"God knows that if that same Siyyid were to entrust me
with the meanest service in His household, I would deem it
an honour such as the highest favours of my sovereign could
never hope to surpass." "This can never be!" burst forth
Haji Mirza Aqasi. "It is my firm and unalterable conviction,"
Hujjat reaffirmed, "that this Siyyid of Shiraz is the very
One whose advent you yourself, with all the peoples of the
world, are eagerly awaiting. He is our Lord, our promised
Deliverer.
Haji Mirza Aqasi reported the matter to Muhammad
Shah, to whom he expressed his fears that to allow so formidable
an adversary, whom the sovereign himself believed
to be the most accomplished of the ulamas of his realm, to
pursue unhindered the course of his activities would be a
policy fraught with gravest danger to the State. The Shah,
disinclined to credit such reports, which he attributed to the
malice and envy of the enemies of the accused, ordered that
a special meeting be convened at which he should be asked
to vindicate his position in the presence of the assembled
ulamas of the capital.
Several meetings were held for that purpose, before each
The masterly manner in which Hujjat refuted the unsound
claims advanced by his adversaries won for him the favour
of his sovereign, who from that day forth was no longer
swayed by the insinuations of his enemies. Although the
entire company of the ulamas of Zanjan, as well as a number
of the ecclesiastical leaders of Tihran, had declared him to
be an infidel and condemned him to death, yet Muhammad
Shah continued to bestow his favours upon him and to assure
him that he could rely on his support. Haji Mirza Aqasi,
though at heart unfriendly to Hujjat, was unable, in the face
of such unmistakable evidences of royal favour, to resist
his influence openly, and by his frequent visits to his house,
and by the gifts he lavished upon him, that deceitful minister
sought to conceal his resentment and envy.
Hujjat was virtually a prisoner in Tihran. He was unable
to go beyond the gates of the capital, nor was he allowed
free intercourse with his friends. The believers among his
fellow-townsmen eventually determined to send a deputation
and ask him for fresh instructions regarding their attitude
towards the laws and principles of their Faith. He charged
them to observe with absolute loyalty the admonitions he
had received from the Bab through the messengers he had
These explicit instructions were no sooner read to his
companions than they became inflamed with an irresistible
desire to carry out his wishes. They enthusiastically set to
work to enforce the laws of the new Dispensation, and, giving
up their former customs and practices, unhesitatingly identified
themselves with its claims. Even the little children
were encouraged to follow scrupulously the admonitions of
the Bab. "Our beloved Master," they were taught to say,
"Himself is the first to practise them. Why should we who
are His privileged disciples hesitate to make them the ruling
principles of our lives?"
Hujjat was still a captive in Tihran when the news of the
siege of the fort of Tabarsi reached him. He longed, and
deplored his inability, to throw in his lot with those of his
companions who were struggling with such splendid heroism
for the emancipation of their Faith. His sole consolation in
those days was his close association with Baha'u'llah, from
whom he received the sustaining power that enabled him,
in the time to come, to distinguish himself by deeds no less
remarkable than those which that company had manifested
in the darkest hours of their memorable struggle.
He was still in Tihran when Muhammad Shah passed
away, leaving the throne to his son Nasiri'd-Din Shah.(1) The
Amir-Nizam, the new Grand Vazir, decided to make Hujjat's
imprisonment more rigorous, and to seek in the meantime a
way of destroying him. On being informed of the imminence
of the danger that threatened his life, his captive decided to
His arrival at his native town, which a certain Karbila'i
Vali-'Attar announced to his companions, was a signal for a
tremendous demonstration of devoted loyalty on the part of
his many admirers. They flocked out, men, women, and children,
to welcome him and to renew their assurances of abiding
and undiminished affection.(1) The governor of Zanjan,
Majdu'd-Dawlih,(2) the maternal uncle of Nasiri'd-Din Shah,
astounded by the spontaneity of that ovation, ordered, in
the fury of his despair, that the tongue of Karbila'i Vali-'Attar
be immediately cut out. Though at heart he loathed
Hujjat, he pretended to be his friend and well-wisher. He
often visited him and showed him unbounded consideration,
yet he was secretly conspiring against his life and was waiting
for the moment when he could strike the fatal blow.
That smouldering hostility was soon to be fanned into
flame by an incident that was of little importance in itself.
The occasion was afforded when a quarrel suddenly broke out
between two children of Zanjan, one of whom belonged
to a kinsman of one of the companions of Hujjat. The
governor immediately ordered that child to be arrested and
placed in strict confinement. A sum of money was offered
Finding that the appeal had been ignored, he renewed
his protest and entrusted it to the hands of one of his influential
comrades, Mir Jalil, father of Siyyid Ashraf and
martyr of the Faith, directing him to present it in person to
the governor. The guards stationed at the entrance of the
house at first refused him admittance. Indignant at their
refusal, he threatened to force his way through the gate, and
succeeded, by the mere threat of unsheathing his sword, in
overcoming their resistance and in compelling the infuriated
governor to release the child.
The unconditional compliance of the governor with the
demand of Mir Jalil stirred the furious indignation of the
ulamas. They violently protested, and deprecated his submission
to the threats with which their opponents had sought
to intimidate him. They expressed to him their fear that
such a surrender on his part would encourage them to make
still greater demands upon him, would enable them before
long to assume the reins of authority and to exclude him
from any share in the administration of the government.
They eventually induced him to consent to the arrest of
Hujjat, an act which they were convinced would succeed
in checking the progress of his influence.
The governor reluctantly consented. He was repeatedly
assured by the ulamas that his action would under no circumstances
endanger the peace and security of the town.
Two of their supporters, Pahlavan(1) Asadu'llah and Pahlavan
Safar-'Ali, both notorious for their brutality and prodigious
strength, volunteered to seize Hujjat and deliver him hand-cuffed
to the governor. Each was promised a handsome reward
in return for this service. Clad in their amour, with
helmets on their heads, and followed by a band of ruffians
recruited from among the most degraded of the population.
As soon as the emissaries arrived in the quarter in which
Hujjat was living, they were unexpectedly confronted by
Mir Salah, one of his most formidable supporters, who,
together with seven of his armed companions, strenuously
opposed their advance. He asked Asadu'llah whither he
was bound, and, on receiving from him an insulting answer,
unsheathed his sword and, with the cry of "Ya Sahibu'z-Zaman!"(1)
sprang upon him and wounded him in the forehead.
Mir Salah's audacity, in spite of the heavy amour which his
adversary was wearing, frightened the whole band and
caused them to flee in different directions.(2)
The cry which that stout-hearted defender of the Faith
raised on that day was heard for the first time in Zanjan, a
cry that spread panic through the town. The governor was
terrified by its tremendous force, and asked what that shout
could mean and whose voice had been able to raise it. He
was gravely shaken when told that it was the watchword of
Hujjat's companions, with which they called for the assistance
of the Qa'im in the hour of distress.
The remnants of that affrighted band encountered, shortly
after, Shaykh Muhammad-i-Tub-Chi, whom they immediately
recognised as one of their ablest adversaries. Finding
him unarmed, they fell upon him and, with an axe one of
them was carrying, struck him and broke his head. They
bore him to the governor, and no sooner had they laid down
the wounded man than a certain Siyyid Abu'l-Qasim, one of
the mujtahids of Zanjan who was present, leaped forward
and, with his penknife, stabbed him in the breast. The
governor too, unsheathing his sword, struck him on the
mouth and was followed by the attendants who, with the
weapons they carried with them, completed the murder of
their hapless victim. As their blows rained upon him, unmindful
of his sufferings, he was heard to say: "I thank Thee,
O my God, for having vouchsafed me the crown of martyrdom."
The blood that was shed on that day, far from allaying
the hostility of the enemy, served further to inflame their
passions, and to reinforce their determination to subject to
the same fate the rest of the companions. Encouraged by
the governor's tacit approval of their expressed intentions,
they resolved to put to death all upon whom they could lay
their hands, without obtaining beforehand an express authorisation
from the government officials. They solemnly
covenanted among themselves not to rest until they had
extinguished the fire of what they deemed a shameless heresy.(2)
They compelled the governor to bid a crier proclaim throughout
Zanjan that whoever was willing to endanger his life, to
forfeit his property, and expose his wife and children to
misery and shame, should throw in his lot with Hujjat and
his companions; and that those desirous of ensuring the well-being
and honour of themselves and their families, should
withdraw from the neighbourhood in which those companions
resided and seek the shelter of the sovereign's protection.
That warning immediately divided the inhabitants into
two distinct camps, and severely tested the faith of those
who were still wavering in their allegiance to the Cause.
It gave rise to the most pathetic scenes, caused the separation
of fathers from their sons and the estrangement of brothers
and of kindred. Every tie of worldly affection seemed to
be dissolving on that day, and the solemn pledges were forsaken
in favour of a loyalty mightier and more sacred than
any earthly allegiance. Zanjan fell a prey to the wildest
excitement. The cry of distress which members of divided
families, in a frenzy of despair, raised to heaven, mingled
with the blasphemous shouts which a threatening enemy
Undeterred by the growing tumult, Hujjat ascended the
pulpit and, with uplifted voice, proclaimed to the congregation:
"The hand of Omnipotence has, in this day, separated
truth from falsehood and divided the light of guidance from
the darkness of error. I am unwilling that because of me
you should suffer injury. The one aim of the governor and
of the ulamas who support him is to seize and kill me. They
cherish no other ambition. They thirst for my blood and
seek no one besides me. Whoever among you feels the least
desire to safeguard his life against the perils with which we
are beset, whoever is reluctant to offer his life for our Cause,
let him, ere it is too late, betake himself from this place and
return whence he came."(2)
That day more than three thousand men were recruited
by the governor from the surrounding villages of Zanjan.
Meanwhile Mir Salah, accompanied by a number of his
comrades, who observed the growing restiveness of their
The enemy was meanwhile preparing for a violent attack
upon them. No sooner had a detachment of their forces
opened fire upon the barricades the companions had raised
than Mir Rida, a siyyid of exceptional courage, asked his
leader to allow him to attempt to capture the governor and
to bring him as a prisoner to the fort. Hujjat, unwilling to
comply with his request, advised him not to risk his life.
The governor was so overcome with fear when informed
of that siyyid's intention that he decided to leave Zanjan
immediately. He was, however, dissuaded from taking that
course by a certain siyyid who pleaded that his departure
would be the signal for grave disturbances such as would
disgrace him in the sight of his superiors. The siyyid himself
That humiliating episode was soon followed by a number
of similar attempts on the part of the supporters of the
governor, all of which utterly failed to achieve their purpose.
Every time they rushed to attack the fort, Hujjat would
order a few of his companions, who were three thousand in
number, to emerge from their retreat and scatter their forces.
He never failed, every time he gave them such orders, to
caution his fellow-disciples against shedding unnecessarily
the blood of their assailants. He constantly reminded them
that their action was of a purely defensive character, and
that their sole purpose was to preserve inviolate the security
of their women and children. "We are commanded," he
was frequently heard to observe, "not to wage holy war
under any circumstances against the unbelievers, whatever
be their attitude towards us."
This state of affairs continued(1) until the orders of the
This encouraging farman stirred the imagination of the
ambitious Sadru'd-Dawlih. He marched instantly on Zanjan
at the head of his two regiments, organised the forces
which the governor placed at his disposal, and gave orders
for a combined attack upon the fort and its defenders.(2) The
So abject a defeat struck dismay into the hearts of the
people of Zanjan. Few were willing, after that disaster, to
risk their lives in hopeless encounters. Only those who were
compelled to fight ventured to renew their attacks upon the
besieged. The brunt of the struggle was mainly borne by
the regiments which were being successively despatched from
Tihran for that purpose. While the inhabitants of the town,
and particularly the merchant class among them, profited
greatly by the sudden influx of such a large number of forces,
the companions of Hujjat suffered want and privation within
the walls of the fort. Their supplies dwindled rapidly; their
only hope of receiving any food from outside lay in the
efforts, often unsuccessful, of a few women who could manage,
under various pretexts, to approach the fort and sell them
at an exorbitant price the provisions they so sadly needed.
Though oppressed with hunger and harassed by fierce
and sudden onsets, they maintained with unflinching determination
the defence of the fort. Sustained by a hope that
no amount of adversity could dim, they succeeded in erecting
no less than twenty-eight barricades, each of which was entrusted
to the care of a group of nineteen of their fellow-disciples.
At each barricade, nineteen additional companions
were stationed as sentinels, whose function it was to watch
and report the movements of the enemy.
They were frequently surprised by the voice of the crier
whom the enemy sent to the neighbourhood of the fort to
induce its occupants to desert Hujjat and his Cause. "The
governor of the province," he would proclaim, "and the
commander-in-chief too, are willing to forgive and extend a
safe passage to whoever among you will decide to leave the
fort and renounce his faith. Such a man will be amply rewarded
by his sovereign, who, in addition to lavishing gifts
upon him, will invest him with the dignity of noble rank.
Both the Shah and his representatives have pledged their
honour not to depart from the promise they have given."
To this call the besieged would, with one voice, return contemptuous
and decisive replies.
Further evidence of the spirit of sublime renunciation
animating those valiant companions was afforded by the
behaviour of a village maiden, who, of her own accord, threw
Hujjat, who was watching the movements of the enemy
from one of the turrets, recognised her and marvelled at
the prowess which that maiden was displaying. She had set
out in pursuit of her assailants, when he ordered his men to
bid her return to the fort and give up the attempt. "No
man," he was heard to say, as he saw her plunge into the
fire directed upon her by the enemy, "has shown himself capable
of such vitality and courage." When questioned by
him as to the motive of her behaviour, she burst into tears
and said: "My heart ached with pity and sorrow when I
beheld the toil and sufferings of my fellow-disciples. I advanced
by an inner urge I could not resist. I was afraid lest
you would deny me the privilege of throwing in my lot with
my men companions." "You are surely the same Zaynab,"
Hujjat asked her, "who volunteered to join the occupants
of the fort?" "I am," she replied. "I can confidently assure
you that no one has hitherto discovered my sex. You alone
have recognised me. I adjure you by the Bab not to withhold
Hujjat was profoundly impressed by the tone and manner
of her appeal. He sought to calm the tumult of her soul,
assured her of his prayers in her behalf, and gave her the name
Rustam-'Ali as a mark of her noble courage. "This is the
Day of Resurrection," he told her, "the day when `all secrets
shall be searched out.'(1) Not by their outward appearance,
but by the character of their beliefs and the manner of their
lives, does God judge His creatures, be they men or women.
Though a maiden of tender age and immature experience, you
have displayed such vitality and resource as few men could
hope to surpass." He granted her request, and warned her
not to exceed the bounds their Faith had imposed upon them.
"We are called upon to defend our lives," he reminded her,
"against a treacherous assailant, and not to wage holy war
against him."
For a period of no less than five months, that maiden
continued to withstand with unrivalled heroism the forces
of the enemy. Disdainful of food and sleep, she toiled with
fevered earnestness for the Cause she most loved. She
quickened, by the example of her splendid daring, the courage
of the few who wavered, and reminded them of the duty each
was expected to fulfil. The sword she wielded remained,
throughout that period, by her side. In the brief intervals
of sleep she was able to obtain, she was seen with her head
resting upon her sword and her shield serving as a covering
for her body. Every one of her companions was assigned to
a particular post which he was expected to guard and defend,
while that fearless maid alone was free to move in whatever
direction she pleased. Always in the thick and forefront of
the turmoil that raged round her, Zaynab was ever ready to
rush to the rescue of whatever post the assailant was threatening,
and to lend her assistance to any one of those who
needed either her encouragement or support. As the end of
her life approached, her enemies discovered her secret, and
continued, despite their knowledge that she was a maid, to
dread her influence and to tremble at her approach. The
One day, seeing that her companions were being suddenly
enveloped by the forces of the enemy, Zaynab ran in distress
to Hujjat and, flinging herself at his feet, implored him, with
tearful eyes, to allow her to rush forth to their aid. "My
life, I feel, is nearing its end," she added. "I may myself
fall beneath the sword of the assailant. Forgive, I entreat
you, my trespasses, and intercede for me with my Master,
for whose sake I yearn to lay down my life."
Hujjat was too much overcome with emotion to reply.
Encouraged by his silence, which she interpreted to mean
that he consented to grant her appeal, she leaped out of the
gate and, raising seven times the cry "Ya Sahibu'z-Zaman!"
rushed to stay the hand that had already slain a number of
her companions. "Why befoul by your deeds the fair name
of Islam?" she shouted, as she flung herself upon them.
"Why flee abjectly from before our face, if you be speakers
of truth?" She ran to the barricades which the enemy had
erected, routed those who guarded the first three of the defences,
and was engaging in overcoming the fourth, when,
beneath a shower of bullets, she dropped dead upon the
ground. Not a single voice among her opponents dared
question her chastity or ignore the sublimity of her faith and
the enduring traits of her character. Such was her devotion
that after her death no less than twenty women of her acquaintance
embraced the Cause of the Bab. To them she
had ceased to be the peasant girl they had known; she was
the very incarnation of the noblest principles of human conduct,
a living embodiment of the spirit which only a Faith
such as hers could manifest.
The messengers who acted as intermediaries between
Hujjat and his companions were one day directed to inform
the guards of the barricades to carry out the Bab's injunction
to His followers and to repeat nineteen times, each night,
each of the following invocations: "Allah-u-Akbar,"(1) "Allah-u-A'zam,"(2)
"Allah-u-Ajmal,"(3) "Allah-u-Abha,"(4) and "Allah-u-Athar."(5)
The very night the behest was received, all the
"What," Hujjat was heard to remark, when informed
of the terror that sudden invocation had inspired, "if I had
been permitted by my Master to wage holy war against
these cowardly miscreants! I am bidden by Him to instil
into men's hearts the ennobling principles of charity and
love, and to refrain from all unnecessary violence. My aim
and that of my companions is, and ever will be, to serve our
sovereign loyally and to be the well-wishers of his people.
Had I chosen to follow in the footsteps of the ulamas of
Zanjan, I should, as long as I live, have continued to remain
the object of the slavish adoration of this people. Never
shall I be willing to barter for all the treasures and honours
this world can give me, the undying loyalty I bear His Cause."
The memory of that night still lingers in the minds of
those who experienced its awe and terror. I have heard
several eye-witnesses express in glowing terms the contrast
between the tumult and disorder that reigned in the camp
of the enemy and the atmosphere of reverent devotion that
filled the fort. While those in the fort were invoking the
name of God and praying for His guidance and mercy, their
opponents, officers and men alike, were absorbed in acts of
debauchery and shame. Though worn and exhausted, the
occupants of the fort continued to observe their vigils and
chant such anthems as the Bab had instructed them to
repeat. The camp of the enemy at that same hour resounded
with peals of noisy laughter, with imprecations and blasphemies.
That night in particular, no sooner had the invocation
As soon as the enemy had discovered the purpose of that
loud clamour, they returned to their posts, reassured, though
greatly humiliated, by their experience. The officers directed
a certain number of their men to lie in ambush and to fire
in any direction from which those voices might again proceed.
Every night they succeeded in this way in slaying a
number of the companions. Undeterred by the losses they
were repeatedly sustaining, Hujjat's supporters continued
to raise, with undiminished fervour, their invocation, despising
the perils which the offering of the prayer involved.
As their number diminished, that prayer grew louder and acquired
added poignancy. Even the imminence of death was
powerless to induce the intrepid defenders of the fort to give
up what they deemed the noblest and most powerful reminder
of their Beloved.
The contest was still raging when Hujjat was moved to
address his written message to Nasiri'd-Din Shah. "The
subjects of your Imperial Majesty," he wrote him, "regard
you both as their temporal ruler and as the supreme custodian
of their Faith. They appeal to you for justice, and
look upon you as the supreme protector of their rights. Our
controversy primarily concerned the ulamas of Zanjan only,
and under no circumstances involved either your government
or people. I myself was summoned by your predecessor to
Tihran and was requested by him to set forth the basic
claims of my Faith. The late Shah was entirely satisfied,
and highly commended my efforts. I resigned myself to leave
my home and settle in Tihran, with no other intention than
that of abating the fury that raged round my person and of
Not content with his own petition, he bade his leading
supporters address similar appeals to the Shah and stress his
request for justice.
No sooner had the messenger who was carrying those
petitions to Tihran set out on his way than he was seized and
brought back into the presence of the governor. Infuriated
by the action of his opponents, he ordered the messenger to
be immediately put to death. He destroyed the petitions
and in their stead wrote the Shah letters which he loaded
with abuse and insult, and, adding the signatures of Hujjat
and his chief companions, despatched them to Tihran.
The Shah was so indignant after the perusal of these insolent
petitions that he gave orders for the immediate despatch
of two regiments equipped with guns and munitions
to Zanjan, commanding that not one supporter of Hujjat
be allowed to survive.
The news of the Bab's martyrdom had meanwhile reached
the hard-pressed occupants of the fort through Siyyid Hasan,
brother of Siyyid Husayn, the Bab's amanuensis, who had
arrived from Adhirbayjan on his way to Qazvin. The news
spread among the enemy and was welcomed by them with
shouts of wild delight. They hastened to ridicule and hurl
their taunts at the efforts of His adherents. "For what
reason," they cried in haughty scorn, "will you henceforth
be willing to sacrifice yourselves? He in whose path you long
to lay down your lives, has himself fallen a victim to the
bullets of a triumphant foe. His body is even now lost both
to his enemies and to his friends. Why persist in your stubbornness
when a word is sufficient to deliver you from your
woes?" However much they strove to shake the confidence
of the bereaved community, they failed, in the end, to induce
the feeblest among them either to desert the fort or to recant
his Faith.
The Amir-Nizam was meanwhile urging his sovereign to
despatch further reinforcements to Zanjan. Muhammad
Khan, the Amir-Tuman, at the head of five regiments and
equipped with a considerable amount of arms and munitions,
was finally commissioned to demolish the fort and wipe out
its occupants.
During the twenty days that hostilities were suspended,
Aziz Khan-i-Mukri, surnamed Sardar-i-Kull, who was on a
military mission to Iravan,(1) arrived at Zanjan and succeeded
in meeting Hujjat through his host, Siyyid Ali Khan. The
latter related to Aziz Khan the circumstances of a touching
interview he had had with Hujjat, when he had obtained all
the information he required regarding the intentions and
proposals of the besieged. "Should the government," Hujjat
The arrival of the Amir-Tuman was the signal for the resumption
of hostilities on a scale such as Zanjan had never
before experienced. Seventeen regiments of cavalry and infantry
had rallied to his standard, and fought under his command.(2)
No less than fourteen guns were, at his orders, directed
against the fort. Five additional regiments, which
the Amir had recruited from the neighbourhood, were being
trained by him as reinforcements. The very night he arrived,
he issued orders that the trumpets be sounded as a signal
for the resumption of the attack. The officers in charge of
his artillery were commanded to open fire instantly upon
the besieged. The booming of the cannons, which could be
heard distinctly at a distance of about fourteen farsangs,(3)
had scarcely begun when Hujjat ordered his companions to
make use of the two guns they themselves had constructed.
One of them was transported to a high position commanding
the Amir's headquarters. A ball struck his tent and mortally
As the days-went by; it became increasingly evident that
the forces under the command of the Amir-Tuman, in spite
of their great superiority in number, equipment, and training,
were unable to achieve the victory they had fondly anticipated.
The death of Farrukh Khan, son of Yahya Khan and brother
of Haji Sulayman Khan, one of the generals of the enemy's
army, aroused the indignation of the Amir-Nizam, who addressed
a strongly worded communication to the commanding
officer, reprimanding him for his failure to force the besieged
to an unconditional surrender. "You have sullied the fair
name of our country," he wrote him, "have demoralised the
army, and have wasted the lives of its ablest officers." He
was bidden enforce the strictest discipline among his subordinates
and cleanse his camp from every stain of debauchery
and vice. He was, moreover, urged to take counsel with the
chiefs of the people of Zanjan, and was warned that, failing
to achieve his end, he would be degraded from his position.
"If your combined endeavours," he added, "prove powerless
to force their submission, I myself will proceed to Zanjan,
and will order a wholesale massacre of its inhabitants, irrespective
of their position or belief. A town that can bring
so much humiliation to the Shah and distress to his people
is utterly unworthy of the clemency of our sovereign."
In a frenzy of despair, the Amir-Tuman summoned all
the kad-khudas(1) and chiefs of the people, showed them the
text of that letter, and by his earnest entreaties succeeded
in rousing them to immediate action. The next day every
able-bodied man in Zanjan had enlisted under the Amir-Tuman's
standard. Headed by their kad-khudas and preceded
by four regiments, a vast multitude of people marched,
to the sound of a flourish of trumpets and the beating of
drums, in the direction of the fort. Undaunted by their
clamour, the companions of Hujjat raised simultaneously
the cry of "Ya Sahibu'z-Zaman!" then poured out of the
gates and flung themselves upon them. That encounter was
the fiercest and most desperate engagement that had yet
One of Hujjat's supporters was a man named Muhsin,
whose function it was to sound the adhan.(1) His voice was
endowed with a quality of warmth and richness that no man
in the neighbourhood could equal. Its reverberation, as he
summoned the faithful to prayer, could be distinctly felt as
far as the adjoining villages, and penetrated the hearts of
those who heard it. Oftentimes did the worshippers in that
vicinity, in whose ears the voice of Muhsin was ringing, express
their indignation at the charges of heresy imputed to
Hujjat and his friends. So loud grew their protestations
that they eventually reached the ears of the leading mujtahid
of Zanjan, who, unable himself to impose silence upon
them, implored the Amir-Tuman to devise some means of
eradicating from the minds of the people the belief in the piety
The Amir refused at first to entertain his appeal. "You
and your like," he replied, "are to be held responsible for
having declared the necessity of waging holy war against them.
We are but the servants of the government, and our duty is
to obey the orders we receive. If you seek, however, to put
an end to his life, you should be prepared to make the proper
sacrifice." The siyyid immediately understood the purpose
of the Amir's allusion. He had no sooner regained his house
than he sent him, by the hand of a messenger, the gift of a
hundred tumans.(1)
The Amir promptly ordered a number of his men, who
were famed for their marksmanship, to lie in wait for Muhsin
and shoot him when in the act of prayer. It was the hour
of dawn when, as he raised the cry of "La Ilah-a-Illa'llah,"(2)
a bullet struck him in the mouth and killed him instantly.
Hujjat, as soon as he was informed of that cruel act, ordered
another of his companions to ascend the turret and continue
the prayer from where Muhsin had left off. Though his life
was spared until the cessation of hostilities, he, together with
certain of his brethren, was made to suffer, eventually, a
death no less atrocious than that of his fellow-disciple.
As the days of the siege were drawing to a close, Hujjat
urged all those who were betrothed to celebrate their nuptials.
For each unmarried youth among the besieged he chose a
spouse, and, within the limits of the means at his disposal,
contributed from his own purse whatever could add to the
comfort and gladness of the newly married. He sold all the
jewels his wife possessed, and, with the money, provided
whatever could be obtained to bring happiness and pleasure
to those he had joined in wedlock. During more than three
months these festivities continued, festivities which were
No less than two hundred youths were joined in wedlock
during those tumultuous days. Some a month, others a few
days, and still others for but a brief moment, were able to
tarry undisturbed in the company of their brides; no one
among them failed, as the beating of the drum announced the
hour of his departure, to respond joyously to the call. Each
and every one ungrudgingly offered himself as a sacrifice for
his true Beloved; all drank, eventually, the cup of martyrdom.
No wonder the spot that has been the theatre of untold
sufferings and has witnessed such heroism has been named
Ard-i-A'la(1) by the Bab, a title that has remained for all
time linked with His own blessed name.
Among the companions was a certain Karbila'i Abdu'l-Baqi,
the father of seven sons, five of whom Hujjat joined in
wedlock. The nuptial ceremonies were hardly at an end
when cries of terror suddenly announced the resumption of a
fresh offensive against them. They sprang to their feet and,
forsaking their loved ones, instantly rushed out to repulse
the invader. All five fell in turn in the course of that encounter.
The eldest of them, a youth greatly esteemed for
his intelligence, and of renowned courage, was captured and
conducted into the presence of the Amir-Tuman. "Lay him
upon the ground," cried the infuriated Amir, "and kindle
upon his breast, which dared nourish so great a love for
Hujjat, a fire that shall consume it." "Wretched man,"
burst forth the undaunted youth, "no flame that the hands
of your men are able to kindle, could destroy the love that
Among the women who distinguished themselves by the
tenacity of their faith was one named Umm-i-Ashraf,(1)
who was newly married when the storm of Zanjan broke out.
She was within the fort when she gave birth to her son Ashraf.
Both mother and child survived the massacre that marked
the closing stages of that tragedy. Years afterwards, when
her son had grown into a youth of great promise, he was
involved in the persecutions that afflicted brethren.
Unable to persuade him to recant, his enemies endeavoured
My pen is powerless to portray, much less to render befitting
tribute to, the consuming enthusiasm that glowed in
those valiant hearts. Violent as were the winds of adversity
they were powerless to quench its flame. Men and women
laboured with unabating fervour to strengthen the defences
of the fort and reconstruct whatever the enemy had demolished.
What leisure they could obtain was consecrated
to prayer. I very thought, every desire, was subordinated
to the paramount necessity of guarding their stronghold
against the onslaughts of the assailant. The part the women
played in these operations was no less arduous than that
accomplished by their men companions. Every woman, irrespective
of rank and age, joined with energy in the common
task. They sewed the garments, baked the bread, ministered
to the sick and wounded, repaired the barricades, cleared
away from the courts and terraces the balls and missiles fired
upon them by the enemy, and, last but not least, cheered the
faint in heart and animated the faith of the wavering.(1) Even
the children joined in giving whatever assistance was in their
power to the common cause, and seemed to be fired by an
enthusiasm no less remarkable than that which their fathers
and mothers displayed.
Such was the spirit of solidarity that characterised their
labours, and such the heroism of their acts, that the enemy
was led to believe their number was no less than ten thousand.
It was generally conceded that a continual supply of provisions
found its way, in an unaccountable manner, to the fort,
and that fresh reinforcements were being steadily despatched
from Nayriz, from Khurasan, and from Tabriz. The power
of the besieged seemed to them as unshakable as ever, their
resources inexhaustible.
The Amir-Tuman, exasperated by their unyielding tenacity
Assured that the people had been deceived by his cunning
plot, he drew up an appeal for peace, in which he assured
Hujjat of the sincerity of his intention of achieving a lasting
settlement between him and his supporters. He accompanied
that declaration with a sealed copy of the Qur'an, as a testimony
of the sacredness of his pledge. "My sovereign," he
added, "has forgiven you. You, as well as your followers, I
hereby solemnly declare to be under the protection of his
Imperial Majesty. This Book of God is my witness that if
any of you decide to come out of the fort, you will be safe
from any danger."
Hujjat reverently received the Qur'an from the hand of
the messenger, and, as soon as he had read the appeal, bade
its bearer inform his master that he would send an answer
in the course of the following day. That night he gathered
together his chief companions and spoke to them of the
misgivings he entertained as to the sincerity of the enemy's
declarations. "The treacheries of Mazindaran and of Nayriz
I have heard Ustad Mihr-'Aliy-i-Haddad, who survived
the massacre of Zanjan, relate the following: "I was one of
the nine children, none of whom were more than ten years
old, who accompanied the delegation sent by Hujjat to the
Amir-Tuman. The rest were men of over eighty years of age.
Among them were Karbila'i Mawla-Quli-Aqa-Dadash, Darvish-Salah,
Muhammad-Rahim, and Muhammad. Darvish-Salah
was a most impressive figure, tall of stature, white-bearded,
and of singular beauty. He was greatly esteemed
for his honourable and just conduct. His intervention on
behalf of the downtrodden invariably received the consideration
and sympathy of the authorities concerned. He
renounced, after his conversion, all the honours he had received,
and, though far advanced in age, enrolled himself
among the defenders of the fort. He marched before us
carrying the sealed Qur'an as we were led into the presence
of the Amir-Tuman.
"Reaching his tent, we stood at its entrance awaiting his
orders. To our salute he gave no response, and treated us
with marked contempt. He kept us standing half an hour
before he deigned to address us in a tone of severe reprimand.
`A meaner and more shameless people than you,' he cried in
haughty scorn, `has never been seen!' He had hurled his
denunciations at us when one of the companions, the oldest
and feeblest among them, begged to be allowed to say a few
words to him, and, on obtaining his permission, spoke, unlettered
though he was, in a manner that could not fail to
excite our profound admiration. `God knows,' he pleaded,
`that we are, and will ever remain, loyal and law-abiding
subjects of our sovereign, with no other desire than to advance
the true interests of his government and people. We
have been grievously misrepresented by our ill-wishers. No
one of the Shah's representatives was inclined to protect or
befriend us; no one was found to plead our Cause before
"The Amir-Tuman turned to his lieutenant and asked
him what action he would advise him to take. `I am at a
loss," the Amir added, `as to the answer I should give this
man. Were I at heart religious, I would unhesitatingly embrace
his cause.' `Nothing but the sword,' replied his lieutenant,
`will deliver us from this abomination of heresy.'
`I still hold the Qur'an in my hand,' interposed Darvish-Salah,
`and carry the declaration which you, of your own
accord, chose to make. Are the words we have just heard
our reward for having responded to your appeal?'
"The Amir-Tuman, in a burst of fury, offered that
Darvish-Salah's beard be torn out, and that he, with those
who were with him, be thrown into a dungeon. I and the
rest of the children were scared, and attempted to escape.
Raising the cry of `Ya Sahibu'z-Zaman!' we hurried in the
direction of our barricades. Some of us were overtaken and
made prisoners. As I was fleeing, the man who was pursuing
me laid hold of the hem of my garment. I tore myself away
from him and managed to reach the gate that led to the approaches
of the fort, in a state of utter exhaustion. How great
was my surprise when I saw one of the companions, a man
named Iman-Quli, being savagely mutilated by the enemy.
I was horrified as I gazed upon that scene, knowing as I did
that on that very day the cessation of hostilities had been
proclaimed and the most solemn pledges given that no acts
of violence would be committed. I was soon informed that
the victim had been betrayed by his brother, who, on the
pretext of desiring to speak with him, had handed him over
to his persecutors.
"I straightway hastened to Hujjat, who lovingly received
me and, wiping the dust from my face, and clothing me with
new garments, invited me to be seated by his side and bade
Seating himself in the centre of the maydan,(3) Hujjat
summoned his followers. On their arrival, he arose and, standing
erect in their midst, spoke to them in these words: "I am
well pleased with your unflinching endeavours, my beloved
companions. Our enemies are bent upon our destruction.
They harbour no other desire. Their intention was to trick
you into coming out of the fort, and then to slaughter you
mercilessly after their hearts' desire. Finding that their
treachery has been exposed, they have, in the fury of their
rage, ill-treated and imprisoned the oldest and the youngest
among you. It is clear that not until they capture this fort
and scatter you, will they lay down their arms or cease their
persecutions against us. Your continued presence in this
fort will eventually cause you to be taken captive by the
enemy, who will of a certainty dishonour your wives and slay
your children. Better is it, therefore, for you to make your
escape in the middle of the night and to take your wives and
children with you. Let each one seek a place of safety until
such time as this tyranny shall be overpast. I shall remain
alone to face the enemy. It were better that my death should
allay their thirst for revenge than that you should all perish."
The companions were moved to their very depths and,
with tears in their eyes, declared their firm resolve to remain,
to the end, by his side. "We can never consent," they exclaimed,
to abandon you to the mercy of a murderous
enemy! Our lives are not more precious than your life,
All except a few remained true their pledge. These,
unable to bear the ever-increasing distress of a prolonged
siege, and encouraged by the advice Hujjat himself had given
them, betook themselves to a place of safety outside the fort,
thus separating themselves from the rest of their fellow-disciples.
Nerved to a resolve of despair, the Amir-Tuman ordered
all able-bodied men in Zanjan to assemble in the neighbourhood
of his camp, ready to receive his commands. He reorganised
the forces of his regiments, appointed their officers,
and added them to the host of fresh recruits that had massed
in the town. He ordered no less than sixteen regiments, each
equipped with ten guns, to march against the fort. Eight of
these regiments were charged to attack the fort every forenoon,
after which the remainder of the forces were to replace
them in their offensive until the approach of evening. The
Amir himself took the field, and was seen in the forenoon of
every day directing the efforts of his host, assuring them of
the reward awaiting their success, and warning them of the
punishment which, in the event of defeat, the sovereign would
inflict upon them.
For one whole month the siege continued. Not content
with attacks by day, the enemy several times attacked them
by night also. The fierceness of their onslaughts, the overwhelming
force of their numbers, and the rapid succession
of the onsets, thinned the ranks of the companions and aggravated
their distress. Reinforcements for the enemy continued
to pour in from all directions, while the besieged languished
in a state of misery and hunger.(1)
The Amir-Nizam meanwhile decided to strengthen the
hands of the Amir-Tuman by the appointment of Hasan-Ali
Khan-i-Karrusi, who was commanded to march at the
head of two sunni regiments to Zanjan. His arrival was
the signal for the concentration of the enemy's artillery on
One day, while the bombardment was still in progress, a
bullet struck Hujjat in the right arm, as he was performing
his ablutions. Though he ordered his servant not to inform
his wife of the wound he had received, yet such was the man's
grief that he was powerless to conceal his emotion. His tears
betrayed his distress, and no sooner had the wife of Hujjat
learned of the injury inflicted on her husband than she ran
in distress and found him absorbed in prayer in a state of
unruffled calm. Though bleeding profusely from his wound,
his face retained its expression of undisturbed confidence.
"Pardon this people, O God," he was heard to say, "for they
know not what they do. Have mercy upon them, for they
who have led them astray are alone responsible for the misdeeds
the hands of this people have wrought."
Hujjat sought to calm the agitation that had seized his
wife and relatives at the sight of the blood that covered his
body. "Rejoice," he told them, "for I am still with you and
desire you to be wholly resigned to God's will. What you now
behold is but a drop compared to the ocean of afflictions that
will be poured forth at the hour of my death. Whatever be
His decree, it is our duty to acquiesce and bow down to His
will."
No sooner had the news that he had been wounded reached
the companions than they laid down their arms and hastened
to him. The enemy, meanwhile, taking advantage of the
momentary absence of their adversaries, redoubled their
attack upon the fort and were able to force their passage
through its gate.(1) That day they took captive no less than
a hundred of the women and children, and plundered all their
The capture of the fort, though robbing Hujjat's companions
of their chief instrument of defence, failed either
to daunt their spirit or discourage their efforts. All property
on which the enemy could lay its hands was plundered, and
the women and children who were left defenceless were made
captives. The rest of the companions, together with the
remaining women and children, crowded into the houses
that lay in the close vicinity of Hujjat's residence. They
were divided into five companies, each consisting of nineteen
times nineteen companions. From each of these companies,
nineteen would rush forth together and, raising with one
voice the cry of "Ya Sahibu'z-Zaman!" would fling themselves
into the midst of the enemy and would succeed in
scattering its forces. The uplifted voices of these ninety-five
companions would alone prove sufficient to paralyse the
efforts, and crush the spirit, of their assailants.
This state of affairs continued for a few days, bringing
in its wake both humiliation and loss to an enemy that had
believed itself capable of achieving immediate and signal
victory. Many were killed in the course of these encounters.
Officers, to the distress of their superiors, were beginning to
desert their posts, the captains of the artillery were abandoning
their guns, whilst the rank and file of the army was
demoralised and completely exhausted. The Amir-Tuman
Their mature deliberations resulted in the decision to
A section of his dwelling had already collapsed when
Hujjat, who was still living within its walls, turned to his
wife Khadijih, who was holding Hadi, their baby, in her arms,
and warned her that the day was fast approaching when she
and her infant might be taken captive, and bade her be prepared
for that day. She was giving vent to her distress when
a cannon-ball struck the room which she occupied, and killed
her instantly. Her child, whom she was holding to her breast,
fell into the brazier beside her, and shortly afterwards died of
the injuries he had received, in the house of Mirza Abu'l-Qasim,
the mujtahid of Zanjan.
Hujjat, though filled with grief, refused to yield to idle
sorrow. "The day whereon I found Thy beloved One, O my
God," he cried, "and recognised in Him the Manifestation
of Thy eternal Spirit, I foresaw the woes that I should suffer
for Thee. Great as have been until now my sorrows, they
can never compare with the agonies that I would willingly
suffer in Thy name. How can this miserable life of mine, the
loss of my wife and of my child, and the sacrifice of the band
of my kindred and companions, compare with the blessings
which the recognition of Thy Manifestation has bestowed on
me! Would that a myriad lives were mine, would that I
possessed the riches of the whole earth and its glory, that
I might resign them all freely and joyously in Thy path."
The tragic loss their beloved leader had sustained, and
the grievous wound inflicted upon him, distressed the companions
As time went on, their number diminished, their sufferings
multiplied, and the area within which they could feel secure
was reduced. On the morning of the fifth of the month of
Rabi'u'l-Avval, in the year 1267 A.H.,(1) Hujjat, who had already,
for nineteen days, endured the severe pain caused
by his wound, was in the act of prayer and had fallen prostrate
upon his face, invoking the name of the Bab, when he
suddenly passed away.
His sudden death came as a severe shock to his kindred
and companions. Their grief at the passing of so able, so
accomplished, and so inspiring a leader, was profound; the
loss was irreparable. Two of his companions, Din-Muhammad-Vazir
and Mir Riday-i-Sardar, straightway undertook,
ere the enemy was made aware of his death, to inter his remains
in a place which neither his kindred nor his friends
could suspect. At midnight the body was borne to a room
that belonged to Din-Muhammad-Vazir, where it received
burial. They demolished that room in order to ensure the
safety of the remains from desecration, and exercised the
utmost care to maintain the secrecy of the spot.
More than five hundred women who survived that terrible
tragedy were, immediately after the death of Hujjat,
gathered together in his house. His companions, in spite of
the death of their leader, continued to face, with undiminished
zeal, the forces of their assailants. Of the great multitude
that had flocked to the standard of Hujjat, there remained
only two hundred vigorous men; the rest either had died
or were utterly incapacitated by the wounds they had received.
The knowledge of the removal of so inspiring a leader
nerved the enemy to resistance and decided them to wipe
That massacre had scarcely been perpetrated when the
signal was given for a pillage, unexampled in its scope and
ferocity. Had not the Amir-Tuman issued orders to spare
what remained of the house and belongings of Hujjat, and
to refrain from any acts of violence against his kindred,
even more dastardly attacks would have been made by his
rapacious army. His intention was to inform the authorities
in Tihran and to seek from them whatever advice they wished
to give him. He failed, however, to restrain indefinitely the
spirit of violence which animated his men. The ulamas of
Zanjan, flushed with the victory that had cost them such
exertion and loss of life, and which had involved to such
an unprecedented degree their reputation and prestige, endeavoured
to incite the populace to commit every imaginable
outrage against the lives of their men captives and the honour
of their women. The sentinels who guarded the entrance
to the house in which Hujjat had been living, were driven from
their posts in the general tumult that ensued. The populace
joined hands with the army to plunder the property and
assail the persons of the few who still survived that memorable
struggle. Neither the Amir-Tuman nor the governor was
able to allay the thirst for plunder and revenge which had
seized the whole town. Order and discipline no longer existed
in the midst of the general confusion.
The governor of the province was, however, able to induce
the officers of the army to gather together the captives into
the house of a certain Haji Ghulam and to keep them in
custody until the arrival of fresh instructions from Tihran.
After suffering untold hardships, these women captives
were allowed to join their relatives, on condition that these
would undertake full responsibility for their future behaviour.
The rest were dispersed throughout the neighbouring villages,
the inhabitants of which, unlike the people of Zanjan, welcomed
the newcomers with treatment that was at once affectionate
and genuine. The family of Hujjat, however, was
detained in Zanjan until the arrival of definite instructions
from Tihran.
As to the wounded, they were placed in custody until
such time as the authorities in the capital should send directions
as to how they were to be treated. Meanwhile the
severity of the cold to which they were exposed and the
cruelties they underwent were such that within a few days
they had all perished.
The rest of the captives were delivered by the Amir-Tuman
into the hands of the Karrusi, the Khamsih, and the
Iraqi regiments, with orders that they be immediately executed.
They were conducted in procession, to the accompaniment
of drums and trumpets, to the camp where the
army was stationed.(1) All these regiments combined to add
A number of these captives were blown from guns; others
were stripped naked, ice-cold water was poured upon their
bodies, and they were lashed severely. Still others were
smeared with treacle and left to perish in the snow. Despite
the shame and cruelties they were made to suffer, not one of
these captives was known either to recant or to utter one
angry word against his persecutors. Not even a whisper of
discontent escaped their lips, nor did their countenances
betray a shadow of regret or grief. No amount of adversity
could succeed in darkening the light that shone in those faces;
no words, however insulting, could disturb the serenity of
their expressions.(1)
No sooner had the persecutors finished their work than
they began to seek for the body of Hujjat, the place of whose
burial the companions had carefully concealed. The most
inhuman tortures had proved powerless to induce them to
disclose the identity of that spot. The governor, exasperated
by the failure of his search, asked that the seven-year-old
son of Hujjat, whose name was Husayn, be brought to him
that he might attempt to induce him to disclose the secret.(2)
My son, he said, as he gently caressed him, "I am filled
with grief at the knowledge of all the afflictions that have been
the lot of your parents. Not I, but the mujtahids of Zanjan,
I was privileged, nine years after the termination of that
memorable struggle, to visit Zanjan and witness the scene
of those terrible butcheries. I beheld with grief and horror
the ruins of the fort of Ali-Mardan Khan, and trod the ground
that had been saturated with the blood of its immortal de-
As to the number of those who fell in the course of these
encounters, no accurate estimate has as yet been made. So
numerous were those who participated in that struggle, and
For the account I have related of the happenings of
Zanjan I am primarily indebted to Mirza Muhammad Aliy-i-Tabib-i-Zanjani,
to Aba-Basir, and to Siyyid Ashraf,
all martyrs of the Faith, with each of whom I was closely
acquainted. The rest of my narrative is based upon the
manuscript which a certain Mulla Husayn-i-Zanjani wrote
and sent to the presence of Baha'u'llah, in which he recorded
all the information he could glean from different sources
regarding the events connected with that episode.
What I have related of the struggle of Mazindaran has
been similarly inspired, to a very great extent, by the written
account sent to the Holy Land by a certain Siyyid Abu-Talib-i-Shahmirzadi,
as well as by the brief survey prepared
here by one of the believers named Mirza Haydar-'Aliy-i-Ardistani.
I have, moreover, ascertained certain facts connected
with that struggle from persons who actually participated
in it, such as Mulla Muhammad-Sadiq-i-Muqaddas,
Mulla Mirza Muhammad-i-Furughi, and Haji Abdu'l-Majid,
father of Badi' and martyr to the Faith.
As to the events relating to the life and deeds of Vahid,
I have obtained my information regarding what took place
in Yazd from Rida'r-Ruh, who was one of his intimate companions.
As to the later stages of that struggle in Nayriz,
my narrative is mainly drawn from such information as I
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