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THE NEW HISTORY
OF
MIRZA ALI-MUHAMMED
THE BAB





EDWARD G. BROWNE

SUBH-I-EZEL,
FROM A PHOTOGRAPH BY CAPTAIN YOUNG.

THE NEW. HISTORY
(TARiKH-I-JADiD)
OF MfRZA ALI MUIjAMMED, THE BAB
BY MiRZA HUSEYN, OF HAMADAN, COMPOSED A.D. i88o,
BEING AN ACCOUNT
OF THE ORIGINS AND GROWTH OF THE BABI RELIGION
AND ITS FOUNDER
TRANSLATED FROM THE PERSIAN AND EDITED WITH EXPLANATORY
NOTES, AND APPENDIXES,
CONTAINING SUBH-I-EZEL'S NARRATIVE, PERSIAN AND ENGLISH,
MfRZ,k JANi'S HISTORY, AND
OTHER DOCUMENTS, PRECEDED BY AN HISTORICAL INTRODUCTION,
AND AN INDEX
WITH A BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE BY MICHAEL BROWNE

PHILO PRESS
AMSTERDAM





First published Cambridge 1893
Reprinted 1975
with a biographical note by Michael Browne,
by arrangement with
Cambridge University Press, London
ISBN 90 6022 315 2
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

I

E. G. BROWNE:

BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE.'

Edward Granville Browne was born in Glouces-1,
tershire in 1862 and passed his -youth in New-
castle-upon-Tyne. He was educated at _Et , on,
(where he found the classical curriculum then.
in force boring and impossible), ~ Glenalmond
and Pembroke College Cambridge. His interest
in Oriental matters was first aroused -by the
Russo-Turkish war of 1877 and at Cambridge
he read Oriental languages as well as% medicine.
His father, a successful engineer.. insisted t a
Oriental languages was . too hazardous i as a
profession and that he must qualify as a doctor;
this he did between going down from Cambridge
in 1884 and undertaking his only long visit to
Persia in 1887-8.
It is this visit which was the subject of A Year
amongst the Persians and, as appears from that
book, one of his main purposes was to make
contact with the Bdbis and to obtain any of their
books which he could; the present volume is one
of those he obtained.
He returned to Cambridge to take up a fellow-
ship at Pembroke and, except for comparatively
short visits to Turkey, Egypt and North Africa,
never left Cambridge again.





E. G. BROWNE: BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE.
However, he remained in very close touch with
Persia through a host of friends and correspon-
dents, and not only produced the Literary History
of Persia but was also closely concerned in the
events following the Persian revolution of 1905.
There was a real threat that Persia might be
partitioned between Great Britain and Russia,
and it was widely believed that his Persia Com-
mittee was the decisive factor in the preserva-
tion of Persian independence. His private fortune
enabled him to help many Persian and other
political exiles.
He married in 1906 and died in 1926, leaving
two sons. His memory is still green in Persia,
and within the last decade one of his grand-
daughters who spent a year there received much
kindness, not only from his old friends and
pupils, but also from strangers who felt for him
the same kind of affection that the Greeks feel
(or till recently felt) for Lord Byron. His statue
in Teheran is said to have been the only statue
of a European which was spared during the rule
of Dr Mossadeg.

London 1974.
MICHAEL BROWNE.

CONTENTS.

~NTRODUCTION, BY THE TRANSLATOR
TRANSLATION OF THE AUTHOR'S PREFACE
TRANSLATION OF THE NEw HISTORY .
APPENDIX L  Abridgement of omitted digressions
APPENDIX II. Hhji Mirzh Jhni's History
APPENDIX III. Translation of Subh-i-Ezel'B Narrative
APPENDIX IV. Texts and Translations of Original Documents
published in fac-simile
INDEX
PERSIAN TEXT OF SUBH-i-EZEL's NARRATIVE
N. H.
PAGE
Vii
1
31
320
327
397
420
443
ILLUSTRATIONS.
Portrait of Subh-i-Ezel  FroWispiece.
Plans and Sketches of the Castle of Sheykh Tabarsi  56
North Gate of Zanjhn 146





Fac-simile of Letter from the 136b to MulIA Sheykh
'Ali 424
Nomination of Subh-i-Ezel as the B~b's successor
(fac-simile of Subh-i-Ezel's transcript) 426
Fac-simile of Letter from Seyyid Huseyn of Yezd
to Hhji Seyyid 'Ali 427
Fac-simile of Letter from Kurratu'l-'Ayn to MullA
Sheykh 'Ali .
434
b





INTRODUCTION.
HALF a century has not yet elapsed since MÕrzā 'Ali
Muhammad, the young Seer of Shfrdz, first began' to preach
the religion which now counts its martyrs by hundreds and
its adherents by hundreds of thousands'; which seemed at,
one time to menace the supremacy alike of the- KAjAr
dynasty and of the Muhammadan faith in Persia, and may
still not improbably prove an important factor in the history
of Western Asia; and which, within the memory of, men
not yet arrived at an age in any way unusual, has passed-
successively through the Prophetic and Apostolic periods,
and entered on that phase of intestinal dissensioii and
political opportunism whither, sooner or later, every religion
I
(be the Idea which gave life and strength to the teaching
of its Founder never so pure and lofty, and the devotion,
self-abnegation, and brotherly concord subsistingg amongst
his early disci ples never so perfect) inevitably comes. . Thus
it is that, quite apart from the political significance whichg-
it may acquire in the future, and the influence which it
may exert over the destinies of Persia and the neighbouring
states, the BAbi movement cannot fail to attract the atten-'
See Curzon's Persia, vol. i, p. 499. The lowest estimate
says he, 11 places the present number of BābÕs in Persia at half a
million. I am disposed to think, from conversations with persons
well qualified to judge, that the total number is nearer one
m i oil.
b 2





+viii
INTRODUCTION.
tion and awaken the curiosity of every student of the Comparative History of Religions.
Now the study of the origin and evolution of any religion, ancient or modern, especially of one which aiiihis at
effecting a great change in the thought, life, or political organisation of the people amongst whom it arises, is,
though invested with a singular charm, fraught with peculiar difficulties. For, at the outset, such religion finds
arrayed against itself every vested interest and every deep-rooted prejudice of the dominant dynasty and hierarchy,
as well as of all who are, whether by conviction, habit, or considerations of personal advantage, attached to these;
and, whether or no it be called upon to face the sword of a tyrant, the sentence of an inquisition, or the rack, the
stake, and the axe of the headsman, it is certain to be exposed to the misrepresentations of court-chroniclers and
ecclesiastical historians, who will spare no effort to pourtray it under the most sombre and lurid colours with which
their imaginations can invest it. Facts will be suppressed or distorted; vague rumours and unfounded slanders will
be recorded as assured and indisputable facts; charges of communism, anarchy, free-love, and worse, will be
hurled against the innovators. and while, on the one side, occasional excesses and casual acts of violence are
represented as the natural and logical outcome of doctrineas subversive alike of morality and humanity, on the
other, deeds of treachery and cruelty are passed over in silence, elevated to the dignity of righteous reprisals for
inexpiable iniquities, or condoned as measures which, though harsh indeed, were rendered not Only excusable but
inevitable by the exigencies of the time. Should the nasceut faith lack strength to outlive this stormy period of
probation and persecution, the name of its founder and his adherents will almost certainly be branded with a stigma
of infamy froin which oblivion alone will free
i
p
p
I
INTRODUCTION.
+ix
them. How different a complexion might the life of Moseylima or the teaching of Mazdak wear if we could but hear
the case for the defence, or learn aught about them save that which their triumphaint opponegnts have recorded!
But even should the young religion survive this fiery ordeal, and secure for itself a permanent footing amongst the
theological systems of the world, new dangers and new sources of misrepresentation of a yet more subtle kind than
any to which it has been heretofore exposed spring into being. Hithe'rto these have been wholly or chiefly from
without. That whole-hearted devotion to the founder which alone could induce his early disciples to disregard wealth,
position, ease, family ties, and even life itself for
sake, and that unquestioning faith in his teachings and unhesitating obedience to his commands which is the
natural and necessary outcome of this devotion, maintain the community, at least during his lifetime, in concord,
harmony, and- fraternal love. Persecution from withoutl the sense of common danger, and the still fresh
remembrance of the beloved Master's words and wishes, expressed or implied, may combine to prolong this period
for a time, even for a consideraW time, after his death; but, sooner or later, dissensions, schisms, and internecine
strifes are sure to arise. A cessation or abatement of the persecutions which have hitherto compelled the members
of the community tocombine all their powers in resisting the common foe, and to present a united front towards their
oppressors, now at length gives them leisure to examine more, minutely and critically the doctrines bequeathed to
them ; attempts are made to weld these doctrines into a logical and coherent system ; differences of temperament,
training, and aspira-, tion, hitherto latent, become manifest; ambitions, hithertQ held in check, burst forth; rival
claimants arise to contest the supremacy; new circumstances and altered relations






I  t
+x
i
INTRODUCTION.
to the environment suggest to the bolder and more active spirits modifications and developments of the primitive
doctrine, of which, perhaps, the founder never dreamed; and an energy and tenacity of purpose which were
developed by the need of uniting the young church against a common foe are expended in dividing it against itself.
Now, alas! the golden age of the new religion is past, or all but past ; the heaven-inspired proplict, the loving,
untiring, undoubting apostle, and the pale martyr, who, with the smile of victory on his lips, and widely opened eyes
fixed on the far distance, as though to discern through the lurid flames of the bale-fire some glimpse of the
promised Utopia, fade from the page of its history, which henceforth is filled with pitiful tales of dissension and
disruption; of anathemas and accusations of heresy and apostasy reiterated and reciprocated with increasing
bitterness; of suppressions of unwelcome records and corruptions of inconvenient textas ; of fratricidal
assassinations and persecutions.
Of this golden age of faith the records are usually scanty, but, in their primitive forin, simple, truthful, and worthy of
credence in the main, though not improbably 01le-sided, exaggerated, coiifua-,ed, and rude in style. The eneiiiies
of a new religion do not corrupt its records, they destroy them; and what escapeas destruction at their hands, and
subsequent corruption at the hands of partisans, may be trusted to give a tolerably faithful narrative of its early
history. For the earliest historians of a religion are, as a rule, so full of faith, so lacking in critical or sceptical habits,
so ready to accept whatever new ideals may be set before them, so prone to discover a hidden wisdom in every
act, not only the most trivial, but the inoast questionable, which emanates from their Master and his immediate
disciples, that they will chronicle with scrupulous fidelity inci
idelity inci
+xi
dents which a later and more critical generation of believers would be strongly tempted to suppress or to
transfigure. When Ibn HishAm came to re-write Ibn Is-h6k ) s biography of the Prophet Muhammad, he judged it
expedient to omit certain details which appeared to him unedifying and likely to cause scandal to the faithful; and -
when a modern MusulmAn, like Syed Ameer Ali, composes a history of Islim for English readers, he is tempted to
touch very lightly on certain matters which Ibn HishAm saw no cause to include in this category. To take another
instance h alto_ gether, might not a modern Buddhist, especially if he were an European, feel disposed to allow the
fact that Buddha's death was accelerated by eating pork to sink into oblivion, although this fact casts no reflection
on the life of that great and virtuous teacher, but only contravenes our ideas of what is graceful and artisti6 ?
" But," it will be asked, " does it often happen that these earliest records of a religious movement, supposing them to
be written witgh this perfect candour, and to escape destruction at the hands of foes, retain for long their primitive
form ? If the doctrines of the teacher whoseh lifel deeds, and words they chronicle prevail, and so the records
survive, what guarantee can we have that they have not wliiidergone mutilation or received embellishment at the
hands of his later followers, from whom almost necessarily we must receive them?" Generally, from the very,nature
of the case, such assurance is difficult to obtain, ~and, indeed, can only be obtained in its most satisfactory form
when the early records pass within a short time, after their compilation into the hands of strangers, who, while
interested in their preservation, have no desire to alter them for better or worse. That this should happen at all
obviously requires a very unusual combination of circumstances. 9 So far as my knowledge goes, it never has
happened save in





+xii 
the case of the Bibf religion; and this is one of the facts which invest the history of this religion with so special an
interest.
Fifty years ago Persia be ' longed to all intents and,purposes (as, indeed, she still belongs, notwithstanding the
attempts recently made, to the huge delight of certain nostrum-mongers and vendors of universal panaceas, to
overlay the court and capital of her present rulers with a thin veneer of tawdry European civilisation) to the ancient
world. There hardly anything is impossible, and not very many things even grossly improbable. That a young
visionary should arise proclaiming a new religion designed to replace and supersede all existing creeds; that many
persons of learning, virtue, and position should eagerly embrace and boldly proclaim his doctrines that gorgeous
but unsubstantial visions of a New Creation wherein there should be neither injustice nor discord, of a Reign of
God's Saints on earth, and of a Universal Theocracy conformed in every detail to a mystical Theosophy (wherein
are blended, under the guise of an ultra-Shi'ite nationalism, theories of numbers more fantastic than those of
Pythagoras or Plotinus, with theories of the Divine Names and Attributes more intangible than those of the Cabbala
or of Spinoza) should exercise so powerful an influence, not only over philosophers and scholars, but over peasants
and artisans, as to make them ready and eager to meet death in its most terrible forms not by scores, but by
hundreds; that this new faith, set forth, for the most part, not in the language of the people, but in Arabic treatises of
interminable length, at once florid and incorrect in style, teeming with grammatical errors the nioa-,t glaring,
iterations the most wearisome, and words the rarest and most incomprehensible, should have power to inspire its
votaries with a courage so stubborn as to threaten for several years the very existence
+xiii
of the es ' tablished religion and the reigning dynasty, and should stir up an iiisurrectioihi which all the armed forces
of the Persian king, all the anathemas of the Muhammadan clergy, all the tortures which an Asiatic tyrant could
devise or his myrmidons execute ' could, by dint of ruthless and repeated massacres, only check for a while, but
not permanently subdue - all this, however strange it may seem to an European, is in the history of the East not
much more remarkable than is the accession of a new dynasty, the partition of a principality, or the annexation of a
province in the history of the West. The doctrines of the BAb, it is true, formed together a system bold, original,
and, to the Persian mind, singularly attractive; but, taken separately, there was hardly one of which he could claim
to be the author, and not very many which did not remount to a remote antiquity. The title of Ba'b ("Gate") had been
already assumed, not only by the four intimates of the Twelfth ImAngi, but by a heresiarch who was put to death in
the tenth century of our era by the Caliph er-RAdhf Bi'llAh. The theories advanced by Mirzi 'Ali Mul ' iammad
concerning the successive incarnations of the Universal Reason, thb allegorical interpretation of Scripture, and the
symbolism of every ritual form and every natural phenomenon, differ in no essential particular from those hel& by
the Isma'flfs. Even the virtues of the number nineteen, the mysterious " Number of the Unity," had been already
signalized, and that, probably, not for -the first time, by Sheykh Muhiyyu 'd-Din ibnu'l-'Arabf, a renowned Sftff
teacher who flourished in tghe twelfth century of our era!. The personal influence of the BAb ; the extraordinary
steadfastness and devotion of his followers under perse
See Traveller's iYarrative, vol. ii, p. 229. See J. R. A. S. for 1889, pp. 909, n. 2, and 919-920.





xiv  INTRODUCTION.
INTRODUCTION.  XV
cution of a severity almost unparalleled in modern times ;
the dramatic circumstances attending the earlier history of
the sect, from its foundation in A.D. 1844 till the martyrdom
of its Founder in A.D. 1850, and of all but a very few of
his original apostles in A.D. 1852, were indeed exceptional;
yet, notwithstanding all this, it might easily have happened
that the materials for a continuous and authentic history
of the movement should have been wanting, in which case
we should have had to trust the inaccurate and garbled
accounts of the court-historians, LiS621117-14fulk and Rizi-
Kulf KhAn', till such time as the scarcely more impartial
.Traveller's Narrative%" written anonymously (as I have
learned only since its publication) by the son of one aspirant
to the supreme authority in the now divided Church to
discredit the perfectly legitimate claims and to disparage
the perfectly blameless character of his less successful rival,
came to increase our mystification and plunge us into
further uncertainties-
Fortunately for science a happy combination of circum-
stances averted a too probable, but none the less deplorable,
contingency. Amongst the early disciples of the Bdb was
a certain merchant of KAshAn, HAjf MÕrzā Jdnf by name,
who, together with two of his three brothers, HAjf MÕrzā
IsmAT and HAjf MÕrzā Ahmad', was remarkable for his
enthusiastic devotion to the new religion. When, in the
year 1847, the BAb passed by KAshdn on the way to his
prison at MAk* ' MÕrzā JAnf bribed the escort to allow their
illustrious captive to be a guest in his house for two days
I Cf. Traveller's Narrative, vol. ii, pp. 173-4, 186-8, and 192.
2 Presented to me by the author during my visit to Acre in
April 1890; published in fac-simile, with EDglish translation,
Introduction, and Notes, by the Cambridge University Press
in 1891.
3 See Traveller's Narrative, vol. ii, p. 332.
I
f
i
and nights'. While the MizandarAn insurrection 'was in
progress (A.D. 1848-9), he, in company with BehAV114h,
Subh-i-Ezel, and several other prominent BābÕs', at-
tempted, but failed, to join the garrison of Sheykh Tabarsf,
fell into the hands of the enemy, and was imprisoned for
some while at A'mul. We find him, always impelled, as it
would appear, by religious zeal, now at BArfurAsh, now at
Mash-had, now at TeherAn. He appears to have been
personally acquainted not only with the BAb, Subh-i-Ezel,
and BehA'u'llAh, but with HAjf SuleymAn KhAn, MullA
Muhammad 'Alf of Zauj An, Seyyid YahyaA of DArAb, MullA
Sheykh 'Alf " Jena'b-i-'Az11'M," Kurratu'l-,Ayii, " ffa;rat-i-





Kudd,(ts," and almost all the early apostles of the BābÕ
religion. Finally, in company with twenty-seven -of his
co-religionists, he suffered martyrdom for the faith at
TeherAii on September 15th, 18521. He was therefore
heart and soul a BābÕ ; lie had the best possible oppor-
tunities for obtaining detailed and accurate - information
about every event connected with the movement during
the first eight years of its existence (A.D. 1844-1852);
ZD
and lie enjoyed a high reputation for truthfulness, intelli-
gence, and integrity4. Most fortunately, also, he occupied
his leisure moments during the two years which elapsed
between the martyrdom of his Master (July 9th, 1850) and
his own death (Sept. 15th, 1852) in composing a voluminous
work, to which, from considerations of a mystical and not
very comprehensible character, lie gave the rather fanciful
name of Nuktatu'l-Kdf ("The Point of KAf," i.e., as it
would appear, "of KAshAn")1, on the doctrines and hiastory
I See pp. 213-216 infra, and footnotes.
2 Cf. pp. 64-5 and 378-9 infra.
3 See Traveller's Narrative, vol. ii, pp. 323-334.
4 Of. pp. xxxix and 57 infra.
6 See n. I on p. 391 infra. The passage in which the title of





F
xvi INTRODUCTION. INTRODUCTION. xvii
of the religion for which, probably only a few months after
the completion of his labours, he shlifrered death.
It is superfluous to say that MÕrzā JAni's work never
existed save in manuscript,, and that any copies which
passed into the hands of the royalist or orthodox party
were without doubt at once destroyed. For there was
nothing of caution, compromise or concealment about the
honest KAshAnf merchant. The BābÕs of his time looked
rather for an immediate triumph over all existing powers,
culminating in the universal establishment of the True
Faith and the Reign of God's Saints on Earth, than for
the book is given occurs near the beginning of the work and runs
Z3
as follows:-



a Heaven of Glory, a far-distant Millennium, or " the Most
Great Peace" on which BehA and his followers love. to
dilate'. They did not make any profession of loyalty to,
or love for, the reigning dynasty; nor did they attempt to
exonerate the ShAh from the responsibility of the perse-
cutions -which they suffered at the expense of his ministers
or tghe MusnImAn divines, as later BābÕ historians have
doDe'. They hated the Muhammadan clergy, it is true,
with an intense and bitter hatred, and MÕrzā JAnf antici-
pates with exultation a day whereon the KA'im, or Messiah,
of the Family of Muhammad shall behead seventy thou-
sand mull4s "like clogs"; but they entertained for the
KAjAr rulers an equal hatred, which MÕrzā JAnf is at no
pains to disguise. To N6siru'd-Din, the present ShAh,
and to his father, Muhammad ShAh, such terms as "tyrant"",.
L&JU), "scoundrel" unrightful king"'
(J.61y :)Uo.U), and "progeny of Abfi SofyAn (,~j I J I
are freely applied. Teherin is compared- to.-
Daulaasevis, the capital of the wicked Mu'iviya and his yet
more wicked son Yazid; while Mul1A Huseyn is likened to
the martyred ImAm Huseyn, Sheykh Tabarsf to the immortal
plain of KerbelA, and BArfurAsh, whither the BābÕ captives,
were brought after the conclusion of the siege, to I(Afa.
ZD
The battle-cry of the royalist soldiers, " Y6 N6siru'd-Dlhi





Sh'A i described as " a foul watch-word
a 8
the death of Muhammad ShAh is noted in the
words when Muhammad Sh6h went to hell3"; and the
unbelievers are flouted with scorn because they suppose
that the Promised Deliverer whom they expect will confirm
I Cf. Traveller's Narrative, Vol. ii, pp. A
2 Cf. Traveller's Narrative, Vol. ii, pp. xlv-xlvi; and, amongst
many other similar passages in this book, pp. 172, 180-182,
189-190, 278-279, 291-293, and 315-316.
3 See n. I on p. 291 infra.





xviii INTRODUCTION. INTRODUCTION.  xiX
the authority of the existing rulers and governors, aiid recognition and homage of the whole BābÕ community'.
will subdue the world for the benefit of NAsiru'd-Dfn Till the catastrophe of September 1852, which proved fatal,
ShAh. not only to MÕrzā Jinf, but to nearly all the principal
Now if this were all, MÕrzā JAnf's history, though it apostles of the new faith -who bad survived the earlier
would certainly have been destroyed as far as possible by persecutions, he remained for the most part in the neigh-
rAn in the summer, and in the district of
the Muhammadans and the royalists, might well, with bourhood of Tehe
sundry emendations and expurgations, have been preserved NAr in MdzandarAn in the winter, actively occupied in
almost intact, like many other proscribed books, in the iDg, transcribing, and eirculg ing the BābÕ books,
arrang at
bosom of the BA-bf Church. But it is not all. Events preaching and expohlinding the BābÕ doctrine, and com-
which I have elsewhere discussed at length', and shall here, forting and edifying the BābÕ Church'. It was during this
period, and, as internal evidence renders probable, during
for the benefit of the general reader, briefly recapitulate, 3
brought about the seemingly strange result that a lar(Te the year A.H. 1267 (Nov. 1850-Oct. 1851) that Mirzi
majority of the BAbias themselves carne to have a direct Jdn' composed his work, in which, as was only natural, he
interest in the suppression of this precious record. One inserted a long notice on Subh-i-Ezel4, whom he most
of the chief doctrines of the BAb, one which lie never certainly, and his contemporaries in the faith most probably,
wearies of repeating and emphasising, is that his revelation believed to be none other than " He whom God shall
is not final; that he is not the last of the Theophanies manifest'." The evidence that at this period, and for
which, at longer or shorter intervals shine- forth in the some considerable time afterwards, Subh-i-Ezel, now living
Phenomenal World for the guidance of mankind; and in almost solitary exile at Famagusta in Cyprus, a pensioner-
that after him a greater Revealer, whom lie calls Man
I Cf. Gobineau's Iteligions et Pljilosophies dans IAsie, Centrale,
yudli-Airulitt'1161i" ("He whom God shall nhianifest "), shall
pp. 277-8~
appear for the consolation of his followers. Now a year 2 See Traveller's Xarrativc, Vol. ii, p. 374.
before his martyrdonhi, on the fall of Sheykh Tabarsf and 3 The clearest allusion in Mfrzi idnif's work to the date of its-
the death of H4rat-i-Kuddits (July or August, 1849)1, composition is contained in the words (occurring on f. 48r of
the BAb nominated Mfrzi YahyA (then a lad of nineteen3)
Suppl. Pers. 1071, and f 335 2- of StTpl. Pers. 1070) 4-r=
to succeed him under the title of 8ubh-i-Ezel ("the Morn-
ing of Eternity"), or Ilazrat-i-Ezel ("His Holiness the
"To day, when one thousand two hundred and seventy-seven
Eternal"). The nomination was explicit and notorious,
years have elapsed since the <commencement of the> Mission
and, on the death of the Founder in July 1850, the youth- of God's Apostle  " The BābÕs generally date not from the hijra
b
ful vicegerent at once received the almost unanimous
or Flight of the Prophet, but from his Call (ba'that), which they
p
place ten years earlier. Hence this date corresponds to A.H.
I Traveller's Yarrative, Vol. ii, pp. xv-xviii and 349 et seq. 1267.
4 See pp. .374-394 infra.
I See pp. 380-2 infra.
3 See Traveller's Narrative, Vol. ii, p. 373 and note. 5 See pp. 381-2 infra.





xx INTRODUCTION. INTRODUCTION. xxi
of the British Government, held undisputed and absolute
sway over the BābÕ Church is absolutely conclusive.
Immediately after the great persecution and massacre
of 1852, Subh-i-Ezel fled to Baghdad, so as to be beyond
the reach of the Persian Government. Hither a few
months later (at the end of 1852 or beginning of 1853')
lie was followed by his half-brother, MirzA Huseyn 'Alf
BeWt'u'116h, who was thirteen years his senior, and -who,
p
arrested on suspicion of complicity in the attem t made
by the BābÕs on the Sh6h's life .. had just been acquitted
and released from an imprisonment of four montlis' dura-
tion. At this time and for some years later (at any rate
till 1858) Behi'ii'lldh was, as liias own writings prove',
to all appearance as loyal a follower of Subh-i-Ezel as he
had previously been of the Bdb. The BābÕ Church was
still, in spite of the attempts made by sundry ambitious
persons to advance claims to the supreme autliority3, united
tinder Subh-i-Ezel, and its members no doubt continued
to read with edification the pages of Mirz6 JAni's history.
About 1862 the Turkish Government, acting, as it
would appear, on the representations of the ShAh's minis-
ters, decided to transfer the BAbi exiles from Baghdad to
Adrianople, whither, it would seem, they were actually
brought in December 1863 4. Here they remained till July
or August 1868, when signs of renewed -and increased
activity amongst them attracted the notice of the Ottoman
authorities, who, learning that a schism had divided them
1 See J. R. A. S. for 1892, pp. 304-6.
2 See J. R. A. S. for 1892, pp. 304-6 and 436-8.
3 See Tgi,az,elle?,'s Narrative, vol. ii, pp. 356-8 and 365.
4 The chronology of these events is less certain than that of
the earlier ones. I have done my best to reconcile and combine
the various and sometimes conflicting data at pp. 306-8 of the
.1. R. A. S. for 1892.
I
into two hostile sections, the one headed by Behi'u'lhih,
the other by ~ubh-i-Ezel, packed them off without more
ado, and probably without troubling to enquire much into
the rights and wrongs of the matter, the former to Acre,
the latter to Famagusta in Cyprus.
About the subsequent history of the Bdbfs, of which
full accounts will be found, by such as it may interest, in
the Traveller's Narrative, I do not propose to say any-
thing in this place. Concerning the schism itself, however,
a few words are necessary. A community like that which
had existed at Adrianople, consisting almost entirely of
actual exiles and potential martyrs, and in large part of
religious enthusiasts, revolutionary visionaries, and specu-
lative mystics, whose grestless activity, debarred from ex-





ternal action, is pent up within limits too narrow for its
free exercise, requires a firm hand to control and direct
its energies. Such firmness Subh-i-Ezel, a peace-loving,
contemplative, gentle soul, wh~olly'devoted to the memory
of his beloved Master, caring little for authority, and in-
capable of self-assertion, seems to have altogether lacked.
Even while at Baghdad he lived a life of almost complete
seclusion, leaving the direction of affairs in the bands of
his half-brother Behi'u'llAh', a man of much more resolute
and ambitious character, who thus gradually became the
most prominent figure and the moving spirit of the sect.
For a considerable time BehAVIIAh continued to do all
that he did in the name, and ostensibly by the instruc-
tions, of Subh-i-Ezel; but after a while, though at what
precise date is still uncertain, the idea seems to have
entered his mind that he might as well become actually,
as he already was virtually, the Pontiff of the Church
wlioa,3e destinies he controlled. It was not, however, till
1 See Traveller's Narrative, vol. ii, pp. 356-8.
N. If.
0





a  I
xxii
INTRODUCTION.
the BābÕs had been for two or three years at Adrianople
that, most probably in the summer of 1866', lie threw off
all disguise, publicly proclaimed himself to be " Him whom
God shall manifest," and called upon Subli-i-Ezel and -all
the BābÕ Churches throughout Persia, Turkey, Egypt and
Syria to acknowledge his supreme authority, and to accept
as God's Word the revelations which he forthwith began to
promulgate, and continued till his death on May 16th of
last year (1892) to publish.
Amongst the BābÕs the effect of this announcement (for
which, no doubt, the way had been already prepared) ivaas
little short of stupendous. From Constantinople to KirmAn
and from Cairo to KhurAsAn the communities of the faith-,
ful were rent asunder by a schism which every subsequent
year has rendered wider and more permanent, and which
nothing short of the complete extinction of one of the two
rival factions can possibly heal. At Adrianople itself the
struggle was short and the triumph of BehA complete.
Subh-i-Ezel was so completely deserted that, as lie himself
informed me, he and his little boy had to go themselves to
the bazaar to buy their food. Elsewhere, though active
and astute emissaries' were at once despatched in all
directions by BeliA, the conflict, though its issue was from
the first hardly doubtful, was longer maintained. For the
question at issue was not merely whether one leader should
be replaced by another, whether certain doctrines should
be understood in this way or in that, or whether the ethics,
practices, or forms of worship of the sect should be re-
formed or modified (all of which things, as we well know,
have again and again in the history of religions proved
sufficient to create the fiercest enmities, the profoundeast
I See J. R. A. S. for 1892, p. 304.
2 Cf. J. R. A. 8. for 1892, pp. 311-312.
h
p
h
b
INTRODUCTION.
XXIII
heart-searchings, and the bitterest dissensions), but~l whether
the doctrines and writings of the beloved Master, for which
his followers had been ready to suffer death or exile, were
to be regarded as abrogated and cancelled in favour of, a
new revelation; whether his chosen vicegerent, whom they
had so long regarded as their Supreme Pontiff and as the
incarnation of all purity, virtue, and heavenly wisdom,
was to be cast down from this high position, and branded
as " the First Letter of Denial " of the New Dispensation ;





and whether the BAb himself was henceforth to be looked
upon, not as the " Point of Revelation," a veritable Mani-
festation of the Divine, but as a mere harbinger and pre-
cursor of a more perfect Theophany. BābÕs who remember
that time cannot easily be induced to speak of it ; -only
once, so far as I can remember, did I hear a follower of
Behi explicitly allude to it. " I was long torn with doubts,"
said he, "which were finally removed by this verse on
which one day I chanced in the Beyan: 'Thou takest
Divinity from whomsoever Tlwu pleasest, and givest Di-
villity to whomsoever Tliou pleasest: verily Thou art the
Almighty, the Wise."'
How long the contest was maintained by the Ezelfs, or
old Bibfs, against the innovators it is impossible to say,
for on no portion of the history of the sect is our infor-
mation so scanty or our light so dim. At first not a few
prominent BābÕs, including even several " Letters of the
Living" and personal friends of the BAb, adhered faithfa~ly
to Subh-i-Ezel. One by one these disappeared, most of
them , as I fear cannot be doubted, by foul play on the
part of too zealous BebA'fs. Hiji Seyyid Muhammad of
IsfahAn, one of the BAb's " Companions " (aq-~db), MÕrzā
RizA-Kulf and his brother MÕrzā Naqru'llAh of Tafrfsh) .46
JAn Beg of KAshAn, and other devoted Ezelis,,were stabbed
or poisoned at Adrianople and Acre. Two of the Letters
2





s
xxiv INTRODUCTION. INTRODUCTION.  XXV
of the Living," Seyyid 'Alf the Arab, and Mulhi manifest" to abrogate, change, can eel, and develop the earlier
Rajab 'Alf lCahh-, were assassinated, the one at Tabriz, doctrines. ' His chief aim seems to have been to introduce
the other at KerbelA. The brother of the latter, A' kA 'Alf a more settled order, to discourage speculation, to direct
Muhammad, was also murdered in Baghdad; and, indeed, the attention of his followers to practical reforms pursued
in a prudent and unobtrusive fashion, to exalt ethics at
of the more prominent 134bis who espoused the cause, of
Ezel, Seyyid JawAd of KerbelA (who died at KirmAn about the expense of metaphysics, to check mysticism, to con-
1884)1 seems to have been almost the only one, with the ciliate existing authorities, including even the ShAh of
exception of Ezel himself, who long survived what the Persia, the Nero of the BābÕ faith, to abolish useless, un-
practical, and irksome regulations and restrictions, and)
Ezelfs call " the Direful Mischief " (fihia-i-saylanz). From
in general, to adapt the religion at the head of which he
that time forwards, while the Belid'fs have been ever waxing
now found higmself to the ordinary exigencies of life, and
in power and influence, so that their numbers now probably
reach or even exceed half a million souls, the Ezelis have to render it more capable of becoming, what he intended
been ever waning, until at the present time it is doubtful to make it, a universal system suitable to all mankind'. A
whether in all they amount to more than a few hundreds. remembrance of all the wrongs which he and his co-religi-
It is even doubtful whether the recent death of BeliA will onists had suffered at the hands of the Musulmins further
contribute in any sensible measure to the restoration of caused him gradually but steadily to eliminate the tinge
their failing fortunes, though Ezel still lives, and numbers of Muhammadan, and more especially of Shi'ite, thought
amongst his supporters at least one or two men of energy which the BābÕ doctrine still maintained, while ever seek-
and ability. ing a better understanding with the -Christians, Jews, and
Zoroastrians with all of whom he recommended his fol-
At the present day, therefore, the vast majority of I
BAbis are Behi'fs, whose doctrines, sentiments, and ideals lowers to consort on friendly tern-is.
Now once admitting Behi's right to assume this posi-
are already far removed from those of the primitive BābÕs tion of supremacy at all, there can be no question that
or modern Ezelfs. No sooner was BehA. firmly established these changes were beneficial and salutary. The original
in his authority than lie began to make free use, of the
privilege accorded by the BAb to " Him whom God shall See especially the summary of contents of the Kitdb-i- Akdas
at pp. 972-981 of the J.R.A.S. for 1889; and the Lawh-i-
Cf. J. R. A. S. for 1892, pp. 443-4 and 684; and Traveller's Bashdrdt, of which the text (with the exception of the 15th and
Al'arrative, vol. ii, p. 342, n. 2. That Seyyid Jawaid was a follower last clause, recommending constitutional government, which the
of Ezel is, however, categorically denied by Mfrzi AbA'I-Fazl of BehA'is appear to have thought it expedient to suppress in the
copy of the tract forwarded to Russia) has been published by
GuIpAyagAn in a letter addressed to M. Touniansky, the text of
which will be found on pp. 44-5 of vol. viii of the Zapisski of Baron Rosen with a Russian translation at pp. 183--192 of vol.
the Oriental Section of the Imperial Russian Archaeological vii of the Zapisski of the Oriental Section of the Imperial Russian
Societ . As, however, this is affirmed equally positively by ~ubh_ Archaeological Society (St Petersburg, 1893). The substance
y of this latter document has been stated in English by myself at
i-Ezel and Sheykh A- the Ezelf, I have allowed these words
to stand. pp. 678-9 of the J. R. A. & for 1892.





I
xxvi  INTRODUCTION.
doctrine of the BAb, fascinating as it was to Persians of a
certain disposition, was utterly unfitted for the bulk of
mankind, and could never by any possibility have taken
any root outside Persia. In the sacred books wherein it
was set forth, precept bore but a small proportion to
dogma, and dogma a still smaller proportion to doxologies
and mystical rhapsodies of almost inconceivable incompre-
hensibility. Not only were the positive precepts few, but
they were generally quite unpractical, and not rarely
extremely inconvenient. What, for instance, could be
more unpractical than the adoption of the number 19 as
the basis of all measures and calculations; the command
that all books when they had been in existence for 202
years should be copied out afresh, and the originals de-
stroyed or given away; or the elaborate ceremonies pre-
scribed for the interment of the dead ? What more incon-
venient than the exclusion of all unbelievers from five of
the chief pr ovinces of Persia,- and, save in the case of
merchants and others following a useful profession, from
all lands in which the BābÕ faith prevailed; the discourage-
ment of sea-voyages and of the acquisition of foreign lan-
guages ; and the command to destroy all works treating of
Logic, Jurisprudence, and Philosophy ? Great conceptions,
noble ideals, subtle metaphysical conceptions, and splendid,
though ill-defined, aspirations do, indeed, exist in the
BeyAn; but they are so lost in trackless mazes of rhapsody
and mysticism, so weighed down by trivial injunctions and
impracticable ordinances, that no casual reader, but only a
student of considerable diligence and perseverance, can
hope to find them'.
That the development of BehA's doctrines proceeded
1 For a summary account of the teachiDgs of the Persian
Beydn, the most systematic and comprehensible of the BAb'aa3
many works, see pp. 911-933 of the J. R. A. S. for 1889.
'Y
INTRODUCTION. xxvii
h
gradually there can be little doubt, for a system such as
he elaborated could not be worked out, much less imposed
on a scattered church not always remarkable for docility,
in a brief space of time. From the moment that his claims
were generally recognized by the BābÕs, however, the whole
of the earlier literature of the sect, including the writings
of the Bib himself, began to suffer neglect and to sink
into oblivion. Without admitting the assertion made by
the Ezelfs, that BehA and his followers deliberately de-
stroyed, or fraudulently tampered with, the books belonging
to the older dispensation on a large scale, it is clear that
the conditions which could alone secure the - continual





transcription and circulation of these books had ceased to'
exist. They were, for the most part, voluminous, hard to
comprehend, uncouth in style, unsystematic in arrange-
ment, filled with iterations and solecisms) and not un-
frequently quite incoherent and unintelligible to' any
ordinary reader.- Hitherto, less on their own merits than
by reason of the enthusiastic devotion inspired by their
authors, they had been regarded by all the BAbis as price-
less gems. Of this enthusiastic devotion BehA now became
the object; and to his writings (which, at any rate in
comparison with those of his predecessors, were terse, lucid,
vigorous, and eloquent) was this sentiment of admiration
diverted. The energies of the Behi'f scribes were fully
occupied in transcribing the new revelations; and the
older books, no longer regarded as the final expression of
Divine Truth and Wisdom, ceased to be renewed, and for
the most part reposed undisturbed and forgotten. in the
shelves and boxes to which they had been consigned. All
this, of course, applies only to the BehA'fs; but the Ezelfs,'
to whom the old books still retained their pristine value,
were few in number, isolated, fearful alike of the Mu-
hammadaus and the Behi'fs, and altogether incapable of





xxviii
INTRODUCTION.
maintaining the currency of the discarded literature. Be-
sides this, many of the older writings at the time of the
schism were probably preserved only at the BābÕ head-
quarters in Adrianople, where, as we have seen, Subh-i-
Ezel was left entirely without supporters. What he could,
he saved, and bore with him to Cyprus; but there can be
no doubt that the lion's share fell to BehA, and was con-
veyed by him and his followers to Acre. And, from my
own experience, I can affirm that, hard as it is to obtain
from the BehA'fs in Persia the loan or gift of BābÕ books
belonging to the earlier period of the faith, at Acre it ias
harder still even to get a glimpse of them. They may be,
and probably are, still preserved there, but, for all the
good the enquirer is likely to get from them, they might
almost as well have suffered the fate which the Ezelfs
believe to have overtaken them.
The history composed by Hiji MÕrzā JAnf, however,
belongs to a different category from the writings which
we have hitherto been discussing. Without sharing the
sacred character of these, it was incomparably more dan-
gerous to the pretensions and plans of Behi, as any one
may see by referring to Appendix 11 of this volume. Its
to-ne towards all beyond the pale of the BābÕ Church, and
more especially towards the ShAh of Persia and his govern-
ment, was irreconcilably hostile. The doctrines set forth
in it, though undoubtedly those held by the early BābÕ.9,
were eminently calculated to encourage mysticism and
metaphysical speculation of the boldest kind, and to main-
tain in full activity that pantheistic fermentation which
BehA was so desirous to check. Worst of all, it supplied
the Ezelfs with a most powerful weapon not of defence
only, but of attack. And withal it was interesting, pro-
foundly and intensely interesting; the most interesting
book, perhaps, in the whole range of BābÕ literature. To
i
I
I
INTRODUCTION.
I
xxiX
suppressit and withdraw it from circulation, at any rate
while thoser on whom had been thrown the glamour of the
young ShirAzf Seer and of the beautiful Kurratu'l-'Ayn, the
martyred heroine and poetess of Kazvfn, constituted the
majority of the faithful, was almost impossible; to let it
continue to circulate in its present form would be dis-
astrous. Only one plan offered any chance of success.
Often in the literary history of the East has the disappear-
ance and extinction of works both valuable and of general





interest been brought about, either accidentally or inten-
tionally, by the compilation from them of a more concise and
popular abridgement which has gradually superseded them.
As the Biography of the Prophet Muhammad composed by
Ibn Is-hAk was superseded by the recension of Ibn Hish6m.,
so should MÕrzā J&nf's old history of the Bib and his
Apostles be superseded by a revised, expurgated, and
emended 11NEw HISTORY" (Tdrikh-i-Jadid), which, while,
carefully omitting every fact, doctrine, ahnd expTeSSiOn calcu-
lated to injure the policy of BehA, or to give offence to his
followers, should preserve, and even supplement with new
material derived from fresh sources, the substance of the
earlier chronicle.
0 nly by the merest accident, so far as our present
knowledge goes, did this scheme fail of complete success.
Most fortunately for science, there resided at TeherAn in
the years 1855-8 a French diplomatist, the Comte de
Gobineau, who, animated by a keen and insatiable curiosity,
devoted himself with rare success to the study of the BābÕ
religion, which was at that time still in its primitive state,
neither rent asunder by the schism which now divides it,
nor modified by the policy which that schism has intro-
dneed. The results of his labours, so far as the B6bfs are
concerned, were a masterly sketch of their history and
doctrines in his classical Religions et Philosophies daus





xxx  INTRODUCTION.
I'Asie Centrale, and a small but most precious collection
of BābÕ manuscripts; this, after his death, was bought
by the Biblioth~que Nationale at Paris, where, since the
year 1884, it has been deposited. Of these volumes one
(Suppl. Persan, 1,071) contains the whole, and another
(Suppl. Persan, 1,070) the first third, of HAjf MÕrzā JAnf's
invaluable history, of which, so far as I know, no other
copy is extant in Europe or Asia. It is not too much to
say that but for M. de Gobineau's exertions in the cause
of science it would have been impossible to reconstruct
faithfully and in detail the early history of BābÕism.
At this point I shall perhaps do well to answer two
questions which may suggest themselves to the reader.
11 Why," he may ask in the first place, " have you
chosen to translate this later 'New History' in preference
to Mfrzd JAnfs contemporary record, to which you evidently
attach a much greater importance ? "
This question can be answered in very few -words. I
did not discover the existence of the Paris manuscripts of
MÕrzā JAW's history till this translation of the New His-
tory had been completed, and the arraDgements for its
publication finally concluded. That there was such a
work, I had learned from the New History itself; and, as
may be supposed, I made many efforts to procure a copy,
or to discover whether any still existed. After repeated
disappointments, I finally came to the conclusion that the
work was probably lost. When, in the Easter Vacation
of 1892, 1 finally chanced on it in the Biblioth6que Na-
tionale during a short stay in Paris, it was too late to
substitute a translation of it for the present history. It
only remained for me to procure a transcript of it (from
the complete manuscript, SuppL Pers. 1,071), to compare
this carefully with the New History, and to epitomize in
an appendix the results yielded by this comparison. The
INTRODUCTION.
xxxi
transcript was made for me by my friend Ahi~ed Beg
Agaeff, to whom I here tender my sincere thanks -, and the
variants and additional matter obtained by the comparison
of this with the New History will be found fully stated in
Appendix II (pp. 327-396) at the end of this volume.
For the present this must suffice; but, if the history of
BābÕism. is to be seriously studied, the text of MÕrzā JAnfs
history will, sooner or later, have to be published in ex-
tenso. For this reason I now deem it a most fortunate
circumstance that the Syndics of the University Press,
when they accepted the present translation, were re-
luctant to incur t ' he great expense which the publica-
tion of the text of the TdrUk-i-Jadid would have
involved.





The second question which may be asked is this.
C(What relation exists between the history of the BābÕ
religion entitled 'A Traveller's Narrative written to
illustrate the Episode of the B(tb,' of which you published
the text and translation rather more than a'year ago;
and these two histories which you have just been discuss-
ing ? "
This question also I must answer very briefly. The
Traveller's Narrative, composed by BehA'ullAh's son 'AbbAs
Efendf so recently as A.D. 1886, represents a further de-
velopment of the tendency, to which 1 have already alluded,
to glorify BehAu'llAh and his Neo-BābÕ doctrine at the
expense of the BAb and the primitive BAbl theology. In
the New History it is still the BAb and his apostles, and
the early martyrs of the cause, whose'words and deeds
form the subject-matter of the work. In the Traveller's
Narrative this is no longer the case; it is Bebi'u'llih who
is the hero, and it is his words and precepts which are
quoted with admiration and reverence, while the BAb has
been reduced from his high station of I Point, " I I KA'im, "





xxxii  INTRODUCTION.
and " ImAm Malidi " to that of a more precursor and
harbinger of a more perfect dispensation'.
Having now, as I trust, made sufficiently clear the
relations which subsist between these three histories, to
wit, the Nuktatu'I-K(if composed by MÕrzā JAnf in A.D.
1851; the irtrikh-i-Jadi'd, or "New History," composed
(as will presently be set forth in greater detail) -under the
supervision of MAnakjf the Zoroastrian by Mfrzi Huseyn
of HamadAn, assisted by TAlfrzA Abii'l-Fazl of GulpAyagAii,
in A.H. 1297-8 (A.D. 1880); and the 14fakaila-i-shaklist'
'k or "Traveller's Narrative," coniposed by BehA'u
sayya. ,
'llAh's son 'AbbAs Efendi in or about the year A.D. 1886,
I shall now discuss iihiore minutely the date and author-
ship of the second of these works, here offered in transla-
tion to the English-reading public, and describe the manner
in which I first became acquainted with it, the manu-
scripts which I have had at my disposal, and my labours in
re-establishing and translating the text.
First, as regards the date and authorship. Concerning
these something can be gleaned froiigi internal evidence.
As to the date, the allusion to the Jkabi. on p. 26 proves
that the New History was written subsequently to that
work, which was composed in A.D.,18582; the allusion to
BehAVIIAWs " Manifestation " on p. 64 carries the date
down to A.D. 1866; while the reference to the ShAh's tour
in Europe (presumably the first) on p. 181 brings it down
to A.D. 1873. This last date would in any case be the
earliest admissible, for on p. 174 the BābÕs are said to
have endured nearly thirty years of persecution, while on
1 For further details as to the peculiar features of this latter
history, see the Introduction to vol. ii of the Traveller's Narrative,
pp. xlv-xlvi.
2 See J. R. A. S. for 1892, p. 305.
INTRODUCTION.
xxxiii
p. 321 this number is raised to thirty-five byh one manu-7
script. As to the internal evidences of authorship, they
are somewhat conflicting and misleading. In some pas-
sages the author implies that he is a Christian (p. 3), -an
European (p. 17) and not a Persian (p. 23), and a French-
man (p. 318). Certain expressions on pp. 2-3 would
suggest that he was a believer in the BābÕ religion; certain
others on p. 30 would seem to imply that he was only a
sympathetic onlooker; while the verse cited on p. 17 would
lead us to suppose that he was a free-thinker. Several
passages (e.g. on pp. 323, 324, and 326) indicate familiarity
with Zoroastrian ideas and writings; others (e.g. on pp.
6-7, and 308-9) show a strange ignorance of the history
and customs of Europe with which-he professes to be so





familiar. Lastly, there are several passages and episodes
(some of them occurring in one manuscript only) which
have evidently been added to the original work by other
hands; e.g. the paragraph on p. 48 beginning, "The reviser
of this history says. . ."; the rationalistic remarks on p.
89 by "the writer (or transcriber) of these pages"; and
the narratives of the second Nfrfz war (pp. 128-131) and
the ZanjAii siege (pp. 139-168) attributed respectively to
Nabil and Zabfh.
Fortanately-we have, something better than internal
evidence to go upon. Thanks to Lieutenant Toumansky
of the Russian Artillery, to whose energetic and successful
researches amongst the BābÕs of 'IslikdbAd science owes
so much, a full account of the circumstances whichgave
rise to the composition of the New History, and gthe
manner in which its composition was effected, has beeir
obtained from one of the -three persons (the only one
still living) concerned therein, to wit,, MirzA AbU"I-Fazl
Muhammad ibn Muhammad RizA of GulpAyagAn, whose
acquaintance M. Toumansky made at 'IshkAbAd. The





xxxiv
INTRODUCTION.
,substance of what M. Toumansky learned from Mfrzi
Abfi'I-Fazl he most kindly communicated to me through
Baron Rosen, with full permission to make use of it. Of
this permission I availed myself in describing my manuscript
of the Trtri'kh-i-Jadid in my Catalogue and Description of
27 Baibi'MSS. published in the July and October numbers
of the J. R. A. S. for 1892, where, at pp. 442-3, Baron
Roseii'as words will be found cited.
A little while before the conclusion of my Catalogue
went to press, I received certain books and letters (Cat.
and Des., pp. 663-5 ' , and 701 et seq.) from a Persian Jew
of Mash-had named AkA 'Azfzu'llAli, a BābÕ, and a friend
of MirzA Abu"I-Fazi. In answering one of his letters I
asked several questions, one of which referred to the com-
position of the TrtrW-i-Jadi'd. He promised to refer this
question to Mirzi Abu"I-Fazl, and there for the time the
matter dropped.
It now appears, however, that my questions were duly
transmitted to Mfrzi AbA'I-Fazl, who thereupon composed
in reply to them a treatise which lie entitled Rist'W'li-
likandariyya (" the Epistle of Alexander") in lionour of
M. Alexander Touniansky, to whom, in virtue of a long-
standing friendship, the book was dedicated. Of this
treatise, as he himself says, he wrote four copies with his own
hand: one for transmission to Acre, one for M. Toumansky,
one for himself, and one for me. The last was sent to
Bombay to be thence forwarded to me, but has not yet
reached me. This, however, is of the less consequence
inasmuch as M. Toumansky is publishing an account of
thip important treatise at pp. 33-45 of the forthcoming
(eighth) volume of the Zopisski of the Oriental Section of
the Imperial Russian Archaeological Society. Of this
article Baron Rosen, with his usual kindness, has sent me
the proofas, from which I shall now tradaslate what MÕrzā
INTRODUCTION.
xxxv
0 nd authorship of
Abfi'l-Faz says about the comp sition a'
the Tdri'kh-i-Jadi'd.
The copy of the treatise in question forwarded to
M. Toumansky bears the following inscription: "TIM
Epistle of Alexander was compiled and composed as a
gift to His .116st flonottrable -Excelle2icy Mirza' Alexander
Toumansky (may God Almighty prolong the days of his
glory and his fortune P). " The cause of its compilation
is thus stated:-
" The immediate cause of the composition of this his-
torical pamphlet was as follows. When I was in HamadAn
in the yearA.H. 1305 (A.D. 1887-8), 1 wrote, at the request





of certain elders of the Jews, a treatise entitled Risdhr-i-
Ayy7ibiyya1 ('The, Epistle of Job'), copies of which were
disseminated everywhere. Some while ago, when Ak4
'Azfzu'll;ih was in Bombay, a copy of this treatise fell into
the hands of Mr Browne, who wrote to .44 'Azizu'llih,
saying, 'Since you are in correspondence with MÕrzā_Abfi'l-
Fazi, ask of him three questions. Firstly, in this treatise
he has fixed the date of the second restoration of the Holy
Temple at four hundred and thirty years, whereas other
chronologists have stated it to be about six hundred years'.
Secondly, let him make known the chronological data
which he possesses touching the life of His Holiness Behi'-
r
1 Zapisski,'loc. cit., p. 33, n. 1.
2 This is tb e work described on pp. 701--- 5 of the J. R. A. S.
for 1892 under the title IstidIdliyyd
3 The objection which I raised to MÕrzā Abu'l-Fazl's chrono-
logy is neither very clearly nor very accurately stated here. His
contention was that the 2300 days (ie. years) during which the
sanctuary shall be trodden under foot, as mentioned in the book
of Daniel (ch. viii, v. 14), came to an end at the time of Behi'-
li'llah's "Manifestation" in A.H. 1285 (A.D. 1868), and the question
raised bore reference to the terminus a quo.





I
xxxvi  INTRODUCTION.
u'llili (may the life of all the delliZeIIS Of the world be his
sacrifice!); for the date wliiQli lie asasigiis in his treatise
to the Blessed Theophany is A.H. 1285, whereas in the
Traveller's Ncirrative it is given as A.H. 12691. Tkirdly,
who is the author of the T6rgrkli-i-Jadid ("New History"),
for some ascribe it to Mirzi Ab-h'I-Fazl, others to MAnakjf?'
In short, it became necessary to compose in reply to him
this treatise, which consists for the most part of such
facts connected with the Blessed Theophany from first to
last as have come within my own knowledge. Now al-
though this treatise is addressed to AkA 'Azfzu'llAh, and
was written in consequence of the enquiries of Mr Browne,
yet was it primarily composed in accordance with a promise
which I made to M. Toumansky when I was present with
him, and therefore is it named after his name. And the
cause of this delay <in the fulfilment of my promise>
was that, in the absence of an assistant, I was obliged to
write four copies with my own hand ; one for transmission
to the Supreme Horizon'; one for transmission to Bombay,
that it might thence be forwarded to Mr Browne; and
one for M. Toumansky; while one must needs remain in
my possession.
The text of the reply to the third question (touching
the authorship of the Trtrikh-i-Jadi'd) is given in full by
M. Toumansky (loc. cit., pp. 36-8); and, before proceeding
to translate it, it only remains to observe that the tran-
scription of his manuscript by MirzA AbA'I-Fazl was con-
eluded on the 11th of JumAdA 11, A.H. 1310 (=Dec. 31st,
A.D. 1892)-
I See Traveller's Narrative, vol. i, pp. 71 and 80-81 ; vol. ii,
P. 55 and n. 3, and p. 63. See also the J. R. A. S. for 1892, p. 703,
D. 1.
2 ie. to Behi'u'llah at Acre.
I
INTRODUCTION.
11 T14rd Question.
xxxvii
" Enquiry was made touching the author of the Tdrtkh-i-
Jadid (New History). The writer and author of the
Tdrikh-i-Jadi'd was the late MÕrzā Huseyn of HamadAn.
He was -a youth of the kinsfolk of Riz6 Khdn the son of
Muhammad KhAn the Turcoman, who is reckoned amongst
the martyrs of the Castle of Sheykh Tabarsf, and whose
name is recorded in the T(irikh-i-JadU . The aforesaid
author, in consequence of the calligraphic and epistolary
skill which he shewed in drafting letters, was at first
secretary to one of the ministers of the Persian Govern-
ment. At the time of His Majesty Nisiru'd- Dfn Shdh's
first journey to Europe he too visited those countries in





the Royal Suite. On his homeward journey lie remained
for some time at Constantinople. After his return to Persia,
he was amongst those imprisoned in consequence of the
troubles of,the year A.H. 1291 (A.D. 1874), when His
Reverence AkA JemAl of Burujird was committed to the
prison of His Majesty the King after his dispute with the
clergy of Tellerin'.
" After his release from the prison of Teherin, he ob-
tained employment in the office of MAnakjf the Zoroaastriail,
well known as an author and writer'. Mdiiakjf treated
I See pp. 96-101, and 365 iTVra.
2 A full account of this discussion will be found at pp. 170-
180 infra. This account, as appears from 1). 172, last paragraph,
was originally written by -W Jemil himself in Arabic, and trans-
lated by MÕrzā Abd'l Fazl of GulpAyagin into Persian. The
conjecture which I hazarded in n. I on p. 170 as to the identity
of " the Letter J " proves to be correct.
3 The full name of Minakjf, late Zoroa8trian Agent at TeherAD,
was Minakji' the son of Lfmjf H~ishang Hftaryirf Kiy6nf, sur-
named Darvish-i-Fdni (a)~!Jkjb 'a.
&U L;!-j._9jJJ  Tbusitisgiven by himself in
N. If. d





I
Xx Vill
Sith great respect, for had he not become notorious him as a BābÕ, he would never have engaged in this work. Now
it chanced one night that he and Muhammad Isma'fl KhAn the Zend, who was a writer skilful in Persian composition,
were MAnakjf's guests at supper ; and MAnakjf requested each one of them to write a book (for be was most
zealous in book-collecting, and whomsoever he deemed capable of writing and composing lie would urge to write a
book or compose a treatise). So on this night he requested Muhammad Isma'fl Khdn to write a history of the kings
of Persia, and begged MÕrzā Huseyn to compile a history of the BābÕs.
" To be brief, Muhammad Isma'fl KhAn wrote the book called _Viraizisfifn, on the ancient empire of Persia from
Mah-AbAd till the fall bf the SAsAnians, in pure Persian, which, as a matter of fact, he made a veritable ragbag of
legends and myths from the Slia'hwilma, the Cliah(tr Chiman, and the Dasaitt'r. But Mimi Huseyn came to the writer
and asked his assistance, saying, 'Since hitherto no full and correct history has been written treating Of the events
of this Theopliany, to collect and compile the
INTRODUCTION.
the preface which he wrote to the Farh ang-i-Anjuman-dr(t-yi
Mtsiri of RizA-Kulf KhAn Ld1dt-bdshi,, and at the beginning of the
Persian translation of theaccount of his travels in Persia published
under the title ;tVJ61 -dJL~; at Bombay
in A.H. 1280 (A.D. 1863). He appears to have come to Persia
from India in 1854, for the German missionaries Petermann and
Briffil travelled with him, his son Ormazdjf, a Mulbad or Zoroas-
trian priest, a secretary named Key Khusraw, and a cook named
ShApArjf, from Shfriz to Yezd in July of that year. (See an
article by F. Justi on the dialect of Yezd in the Z. A M. G. for
1881, vol. xxv, pp. 327-8, and a foot-note on p. 328, according
to which MAnakjf acted for a while as French consul at Yezd.)
He died a year or two ago.
INTRODUCTION.
xxxix
various episodes thereof in a fitting manner is a very difficult matter. For what Sipihr and Hiddyatl have written
touching its circumstances is, by reason of their extreme, obsequiousness <to the Court> and their utter error,
altogether sheer calumny and downright falsehood. And the accounts given by narrators, too, are so diverse and
different that the reconciliation of them is not free from difficulty-'
" To this I replied, 'There is in the hands of the Friends a history by the late HAjf Mfrz;A Jilif of KishAn, who was
one of the martyrs of TeherAn, and one of the best men of that time. But be was a man engaged in business and
without skill in historiography, neither-did he record the dates of the years and months. At most he, being a God-
fearilig man, truthfully set down the record of events as he had seen and heard them. Obtain this book, and take the
episodes from it, and the dates of the years and months from the Ndsikhu't-Tawairikh and the appendices of the
Rawzatu's_A~af(t,; and, having incorporated these in your rough draft, read over each sheet to His Reverence Hijf
Seyyid JawAd of KerbelA (whose name has been repeatedly mentioned in these pages), for he, from the beginning
of the Manifestation of the First Point [i.e. the Balb] until the arrival of His Holiness Behi'ullAh in Acre, accompanied
the Friends everywhere in person, and is thoroughly informed and cognizant of all events. Thus diligently correct
the history, in order that this book may, by the will of God, be well finished, and may win the approbation of the
learned throughout the world.'
"Then he requested the writer to indite the introduc
1 Concerning Sipihr (better known as Lisdme-1-3fulk) and Hiddyat (Rizi-Kulf KhAn Ldld-bashi), and their histories,
the Ndsikhu't- Tawdrikh and the supplement to the Rawzatzes- Safei, see Vol. ii of my Traveller's.Yarrative, pp. 173-
192.
d 2





X1  INTRODUCTION.
tory preface, and so open for him the path of composition.
So 1, agreeably to his request, wrote two pages at the
ginning of that book, and embellished this introduction
th prefatory exhortations a ' nd incitements to strive after
truth'. Now it was his intention to compose this book
in two VoluMeS2, the first volume about the events con-
nected with the Manifestation of the First Point [i.e. the
BAb], and the second volume about the circumstances of
the Most Holy and Most Splendid Dawn'. But after he
had completed the first volume, fate granted him no further
respite, for lie died in the city of Resht in the year A. H.
1299 [= A.D. 1881-2].
" But MAnakjf would not suffer this history to be
finished in the manner which the writer had suggested,
but compelled the chronicler to write what lie dictated.
For MAnakJVs custom was ti) bid his secretary write down
some matter and afterwards read the rough draft over to
him. So first of all the secretary used to read over to
him the rough draft which lie had made in accordance with
his own taste and agreeably to the canons of good style;
and then, after Mdiiakjf had made additions here and
excisions there, and had docked and re-arranged the matter,
he used to make a fair copy. And since MAnakif had
no great skill or science in the Persian tongue, the style
of most of the books and treatises attributed to him is
discolginected and broken, good and bad being mingled
together. In addition to this defect, ignorant scribes and
1 Cf. .1. R. A. S. for 1892, p. 442. According to Baron Rosen's
letter there cited, the portion of the Preface of the New History
composed by Mfrza' AbA'I-Fazl extends from the beginning to 1. 3
of p. 3 infra.
2 See pp. 318-319 infra.
ession (,.~l
3 By this expr 4JJo) the Manifestation
of Bebi)_~IlAh is meant.
i
INTRODUCTION.
illiterate -writers have, in accordance with their own fancies,
so altered the Tiriklk-i-Jadid' that at the present day
every copy of it appears like a defaced portrait or a restored
temple, to such a degree that one cannot obtain a correct
copy of it, unless it were the author's own transcript; other-
wise no copy can be relied upon.
" As for Hiji MÕrzā JAni of KAshAn, he was ODe Of the
most highly respected merchants of that town, and believed
in the blessed mission of the First Point [i.e. the BAbJ at
the very beginning of the Theophany. He was brother to
Jewltb-i-Zab~k (who is mentioned in the Lawk-i-Ra't's',
and was honoured with the title of Ant's). He it was who,
when the First Point (exalted be his Supreme Name 1) was





being conveyed, by command of Muhammad ShAh, from
lsfahd,n to TeherAn, entertained His Holiness for three
nights in his house at KAshdn'. Some while afterwards he
came froin KishAn to TeherAn, and abode in ShAh 'Abdu'l-
'AzfM4, where he wrote his history. He was involved in
the catastrophe of the year A.H. 1268 (A.D. 1852, Aug.-
Sept.), and in prison shared the same cell with His Holiness
Belid'u'llih, and was bound by the same iron chain. Some
days later 'he was put to death, an innocent victim, in
this massacre5, and attained to the rank of martyrdom.
1 The multitude of variants and divergences in the two MSS.
of which I made use in preparing this translation fully bears out
this statement.
2 See indei., s.v. Zabih - and the J. R. A. S. for 1892, p. 311,
where my conjecture as to the identity of Zabih seems to have
been erroneous.
3 See pp. 213-214, and 349 infra.
4 The celebrated shrine and city of refuge, distant about 5 or
6 miles from Teherin to the south.
5 On September 15th, A.D. 1852. See Traveller's Narrative,
vol. ii, p. 332.





x1ii
INTRODUCTION.
But of his history 1, the writer, cannot now procure a copy;
for from Samarkand to Teherin is very far, and fortune
frowns on the People of BehA, and is beyond measure
jealous of them.
" God Alm lity best knoweth the truth of all matters.
" Written tin the twenty-first day of the month of'
Rabru'th-thainf A.H. 1310, corresponding to the thirty-first
of Tashrin-i-avval [October]' A.I). 1892, by the pen of the
author of this treatise, Abft'I-Fazl Muhammad ibn Mu-
hammad 1146 of GulpAyagin."
This full and detailed account of the authorship and
composition of the T6rikh-i-Jadt'd, for which both Mfrz6
AbA'I-Fazl and M. Toumansky are entitled to our warmest
gratitude-, the one for writing and the other for publishing
it, renders it unnecessary for me to say much more on this
head. We cannot but regret that one capable of writing
so clear, succinct, and pertinent a statement had not a
larger share in the compilation of the Rig-rkh-i-Jadid '
which would undoubtedly have gained much more from
the co-operation of MÕrzā Abu'l-Fazl than it has from that
of MAnakjf. One point, however, I must again briefly
allude to : I mean the share iing the work here ascribed to
Seyyid JawAd of Kerbeli. In my Catalogue and Descrip-
tion of 27 Bdb11'H8S. (J. R. A. S. for 1892, pp. 443-4 and
683-5) 1 expressed a doubt as to the correctness of this-
portion of MÕrzā Abu"I-Fazl's statement, my grounds for
this doubt being the ascription to Seyyid JawAd of the
Hasht Kihisht, a controversial work of strongly-marked Ezelf
proclivities, and assurances given to me by ~ubl ' i-i-Ezel to
the effect that Seyyid JawAd was one of his staunchest
This date is given according to the old style prevalent in
Russia. The corresponding date according to our style ias No-
vember 12th.
INTRODUCTION.
xliii -
adherents'. What I wrote on this matter was shown by
M. Toumansky to MÕrzā Abft'l-Fazl, who, in letters pub-
lished in the article in the Zapisski already cited, cate-
gorically and absolutely denies that Seyyid JawAd was
an Ezelf, or was other than a most devoted and loyal
adherent of BehA. I have not space to quote either the
interesting biographical details about this illustrious man,
nor the epistle addressed to him by BehA'u'lldh, nor the
denial of his sympathy with the Ezelfs made by Mirzi
Ab,h'I-Fazl to M. Toumansky, and published by the latter
in Vol. viii of the Zapisski (pp. 41, ahnd 43-5), to which
I refer such as desire fuller information. The sum of the
matter is this: Seyyid JawAd was a man equally re-
markable for his illustrious descent, his learning, and his





piety; he was brought up in the Sheykhf doctrines, followed
the lectures of Seyyid KAzim, and was one of the earliest
believers in the BAb, whom he knew personally. His
nature was so gentle and temperate that, according to
MÕrzā AbiYI-Fazl, 11 he would speak ill of no one, mentioning
all religious opinions, whether of Hindoos, Jews, Christians,
MusulmAns, Ezelfs, or BehA'fs, with respect." BoththeEzelfs
and the BehA'fs claim him; and, as I think, we have not
yet sufficient evidence to enable us to decide between them,
for against the clear and explicit testimony of Mfrz&
AhA'l-Fazl is the equally clear and equally explicit testi-
mony of Subh-i-Ezel and his partisan Sheykh A -.
I now pass to my own connection with the Tdrikh-i-
Jadi'd. I was first made aware of its existence by Mr Sidney
Churchill (to whose unrivalled knowledge of Persian biblio-
graphy I seize this occasion of once more bearing testimony)
on December 14th, 1887. He told me that he had obtained
a manuscript of this history of the BābÕs for the British
I Traveller8 Narrative, Vol. ii, p. 342, n. 2.





Xliv INTRODUCTION. INTRODUCTION. xlV
Museum Library, and advised me, if I was interested in
this subject, to work at it on my return to England. H e,
did not inform me of the author's name, but said that he
was a member of the sect. I made a note of his communi-
cation in my diary, and, for the time being, did nothing
more.
I next heard of the TdrWi-i-Jadid at SlifrAz on March
30th, 1888, from some of my BA]f friends. They described
it as a history of the events of1the 'Manifestation' from
the beginning, and the author as a Persian who had
travelled much, and who, having begun to write the book
as an impartial observer, had been convinced by the results
of his enquiries, if not by his own eloquence, during the
progress of his labours. One of my informants, a BābÕ
missionary, admitted that he knew the name of the author,
but said that lie did not feel justified in divulging it
to me. At the asaiigie time a promise w . as given that a
copy of the book should be lent-to me. This promise was
fulfilled two days later; and during my stay at ShfrAz
I read a considerable portion of it. When I left ShfrAz
hurriedly for Yezd, expecting to return thither before
leaving Persia, I was permitted to take the manuscript
with me, and finally it was bestowed upon me as a gift.
It is now in my possession, and is described in full in my
Catalogue a2id Description of 27 Bdbi' 0188. (J. R. A.
for 1892, pp. 440-444) under the press-mark BBP. 5. In
this volume I designate it simply as C. (Cambridge Codex).
On my return to England in the autumn of 1888, 1
again read this manuscript through, this time more care-
fully, making marginal references and annotations ; and
I made considerable use of it in the compilation of the two
articles on the BābÕs which I published in the July and
October n'Liinbers of the .1. -B. A. S. for 1889. This reading
I concluded on December 8th, 1888.
When the conclusion of the two articles above referred-
to left me free to take up fresh work, I resolved to prepare
a text and translation of the T6rikh-i-Jadid. I did not
at first make any use of the British Museum Codex (Or.
2942), as I could not at that time go to London to consult
it. I therefore transcribed my manuscript in a fair legible
hand, such as could be easily read by an European com-
positor, marking the passages which seemed corrupt, or
writing them in pencil with a query in the margin, and
sometimes a conjectural emendation. At the same time I
made the rough draft of a literal English translation, which,
however, I discontinued when I had transcribed about
half the book. The transcript I finished on February 8th,
1890.
During the following Easter Vacation (March 4tb-
May 3rd) I visited the two rival BābÕ chiefs, Subh-i-Ezel





at Famagusta in Cyprus, and BehA'u'llAh at Acre in Syria.
From the latter place I brought back the -manuscript of
'AbbAs Efendi's Traveller's Narrative (referred to at pp. xiv
and xxxi-ii slTra), which, in accordance with the pleasure
of the Syndics of the University Press, I published in
f
ae_Sifijile a with an English translation and notes. Till the
appearance of these volumes in February 1892, 1 had little
leisure to give to the T6rrkh-i-Jad-rd, but nevertheless in
the Easter vacation of 1891 1 spent about three weeks in
London, and, by dint of hard work, finished collating my
transcript of the text with the British Museum Codex
(Or. 2942), hereinafter designated as L. (London Codex),
on April 11th of that year. This collation was more
laborious than I had anticipated, for the variants between
the two manuscripts were numerous and important, and
several long episodes contained in L. but omitted in C.
had to be transcribed. Finally, however, the work was
accomplished, and a satisfactory text established.





p
xlvi INTRODUCTION,
INTRODUCTION.  x1vii
aid, to publish
My original intention was, as T have s, to bear the expenses of publishing the translation, but
both text and translation of a work which I regarded as of i
expressed a disinclination to undertake the text as well.
capital importance for the proper understanding of the
BābÕ religion. It was clear, however, that the partial This decision, although it did not surprise me, caused me
translation which I had made would have to be entirely at the time some little disappointment; for it is not in
rewritten in the fuller light of the collated and corrected human nature, when one has laboured long and diligently
text. The work of translating the Traveller's Narrative at the reconstruction of a text, to learn without a shadow
had somewhat modified my views as to the manner in of regret that it will never be anything more than a manu-
which Eastern bookai should be done into English. I had script. Yet I deem it now a most fortunate circumstance
made that translation as literal is possible, and, owing that the Syndics arrived at this decision, for the discovery
of H&jf MfrJA JAnf's history in the Biblioth'que Nationak
to the concise and clear style of the original, this was not
so difficult as in the case of the diffuse, wordy and dis- puts an entirely new complexion on the matter, and it is
evident that it has a far stronger claim to publication than
cursive New History, which abounded in re-iterations, the T&z'kk-i-Jadzd.
digressions, and irrelevant diatribes. Yet even the trans- The -determination arrived at by the Syndics decided
lation which I had made of the Traveller's Narrative did
not wholly satisfy me, for I felt that, notwithstanding all me on two points. I had learned from Baron Rosen that
an incomplete manuscript of the TdrWW-Jadt'd had been
my pains, it was at best laborious and wearisome reading obtained at 'IshkAbad and forwarded to St Petersburg by
in English. How, then, would- it be with the New Lieutenant Touinansky in the summer or autumn of 1890'.
History ? Had it been decided to publish the text, I should- have
Before finally decidin on the course which I should
9 had to make a further collation of this manuscript with
adopt, I again applied to the Syndics of the University my restored text. As the translation only was to be pub-
Press with a view to ascertaining whether they were lished, this'seemed to me no longer absolutely necessary,
disposed to accept the text and translation of the book, my text being sufficiently good for this purpose. I was,
or either of them, for publication. I ventured to urge the ignoreover, enabled to form a clearer conception of the lines
publication- of the translation, but did not feel justified in on which my new translation must be made. Of the plan
insisting very strongly on the importance of printing the which I elaborated and have carried out in the following
text as well ; for to print so extensive a text in the Arabic pages I shall now proceed to speak.
character would, I knew, be a very costly undertaking, The facts with which I had to reckon were these : a
and, seeing that of such texts the total number which work wherein historical matter of great interest and im-
can be published in Europe is necessarily limited, it portance was mingled with prolix digressions of little value;
is incumbent on the scholar to consider what text is a text based on two manuscripts each of which contained
most indispensable, lest haply lie fail to use to the
I See Collections Scientifiques de Unstitut de8 Langues Orien-
best advantage the facilities placed at his disposal. In
reply to my application, the Syndics enerously consented tales de St Pe'tersbo urg, Vol. vi, p. 244 and the J. R. A. S. for
9 1892, pp. 318-'319.





I
x1viii INTRODUCTION.
INTRODUCTION.
xlix
several important and lengthy passages omitted in the being actually introduced by the words "thus says ~ the
other; and a style generally concise and clear in the reviser of this history," or "thus says the transcriber'."
narrative portions of the book, but florid, redundant, and It was evidently most important to preserve all these
diffuse in the digressions, The object which I had in view narratives, to indicate at the saine time the Codex in
was to produce a readable rendering of this work in English, which they occurred, and, in the case of episodes differently
which, while embodying everything in the least degree narrated in the two Codices, to give the two versions for
calculated to throw lialit on the history and development comparison one beside the other.
of the Bibf religion, a,31iould oiiiit most of the irrelevant The way in which I have done this is as follows. Pas-
matter mixed up with it in the original, preserving only sages occurring only in L. (the London Codex) are enclosed
such specimens of the digressions, diatribes, and somewhat in single square brackets and passages occurring
trite reflections of the author as might suffice to give a only in C. (the Cambridge Codex, i.e. my own MS.) in
correct idea of his style. double brackets When such passage is a simple
Now in the case of a classical or ancient text, which insertion, and, has nothing corresponding with it in the
has an interest mainly literary, our endeavour must evi- other manuscript, no further mark is added. , When, how-
here is a parallel passage in the other manuscript
dently be to find out, so far as possible, what the author ever, t
wrote, and to eliminate and discard all interpolations made (whether this consist of a few words only, or of a different
by later hands. No one, for instance, who proposed to narrative of almost equal length), the two versions are
edit the Jlasnavl' would wish to retain in the text the placed one above the other (the longer, as a rule, in the
many spuriotia-, lines which have been added by iiigeniouas body of the page, the shorter at the foot), and the same
copyists in the course of ages; therefore, having satisfied typographical mark (an asterisk, a dagger, or the like) is
himself that a given passage reposed on no good manu- placed outside the enclosing brackets of both, so that their
script authority, lie would without compunction excise correspondence may be at once apparent. In this way
it. But this does not apply to a book like the T6r~kh-i- both versions are preserved, and the translation of either
Jadid, which was written only thirteen or fourteen years
ago) -which is essentially a cOngipilati0ii made by two or As instances I will only cite K~ichak 'Ali Beg's-narrative of
the entry of the Nfrfz captives into ShfrAz (pp. 124-8 infra),
three persons acting in coihicert, and which, moreover, ia3
which is much fuller in L. than in C.; the different accounts of
interesting less from a literary than from a historical point the second Nfrfz insurrection in the two MSS. (pp. 128-131) ;
of view. In this case the interpolations may be just as the extensive particulars of the ZanjAn siege given in L. on the
valuable as the original text, for no one but a BābÕ would
copy the book, and such an one might well add from his owl, authority of Haydar Beg, the son of Mulli Muhammad 'Alf's
lieutenant Din Muhammad (pp. 136-161, and 163-8); ~,abfh's
knowledge new and important facts of which the autlioras narrative of Mir 'Abdu'l-BAkf's meeting with the BAb at K6shAn
were not cognizant. Indeed, as a matter of fact, some of (pp. 214--216) in L.; the text of MÕrzā Muhammad 'Ali's letter
the most interesting portions of the Tdrikh-i-Jadrd are to his brother (pp. 301-3) in C.; and SuleymAn Kh6n's account
evidently interpolations of this sort, several of them of the Nib's execution in L. (pp, 309-311).





INTRODUCTION. INTRODUCTION.
text can be easily restored. Suppose, for example, one of
my readers sees reason to think that the L. text is the,
more correct one, and wishes to deal with this only, he
will delete everything enclosed in double brackets, and
transfer the parallel passages in single brackets from. the-
foot of the page into the body of the text; and vice versa'.
In some cases passages occurring in one manuscript only
(but generally passages of small extent) have been rele-
gated to the foot of the page because they appeared to me
to be either redundant, or incorrect. In this case their
position in the text is indicated by the insertion at the
point where they occur of the same typographical sign
(asterisk, dagger, or the like) which is prefixed and ap-
pended to the brackets enclosing them.
Of the two manuscripts oil which my text is based, the
London Codex (L.) is described at pp. 192-7 of vol. ii
of my Traveller's Narrative, and my own manuscript (C.)
at pp. 440-4 of the J.R.A.S. for 1892, so that I need say
no more about them in this place, save that the former,
transcribed in Rajab A.H. 1298 (June, 1881), was written,
as appears from MÕrzā Abii'l-Fazl's statement, during the
author's lifetime (for he died in A.H. 1299), and may even
have been made under his supervision. In any case it
is the better manuscript of the two. My inability to
publish the text has made me feel a greater responsibility
about the translation, since my readers will not be able to
check the accuracy of my renderings by reference to the
original; and I can conscientiously say that I have taken
more pains with this book than with the Traveller's
Narrative, though I have not followed the idiom of the
Persian quite so closely, especially in the noil-historical
portions, where I felt that a greater latitude in treatment
was admissible.
It now only remains for me to speak of the supple-
mentary, matter with which I have striven, to enrich this
volume, and to tender my thanks to those to whom I am
most indebted for help. This supplementary matter con-
sists of three illustrations; four fac-similes of letters; and
three Appendices', numbered II, III, and IV.
Of the illustrations, one, a portrait of Subh-i-Ezel,
forms the frontispiece. For this I am indebted to my
friend Captain Arthur Young, lately Commissioner at
Famagusta in Cyprus, to whose kind help I owe so much.
The photograph, which, as I can testify, is an extremely
faithful likeness, was taken, so far as I remember, about
the end of 1889 or the beginning of 1890, and the negative,
which was necessary for the preparation of the copper-plate,
was sent to me last year. The plans of Sheykh Tabarsf and
the sketch of the ZanjAn gate were drawn by my sister,
Miss Helen Browne, from rough sketches made by myself





on the spot in 1887-8.
For the autograph letters of the Bib, Seyyid Huseyn,
MullA Sheykh 'All Jena&i-'Aztm) and Kurratu'l-'Ayn
I aign indebted to the kindness of Subh-i-Ezel. Fac-similes
of these, with their translations and reproductions in the
printed character, form Appendix 111, to which the reader
is referred for further information. All these illustrations
and fac-similes have been executed by the Cambridge
Engravillg Company under the supervision of my friend
Mr A. G. Dew-Smith of Trinity College, to whom I here
offer my warmest thanks for the pains which he has taken
to make them as perfect as possible.
For the facilities afforded ine for working at the Paris
manuscript of HAjf MÕrzā JAnf's history, an account of
which forms Appendix II of this volume, I owe a great
I Appendix I is not included, because it merely contains an
abstract of certain portions of the Tdrikh-i-Jadid which did not
seem to me worth translating in full.





iii
INTRODUCTION.
debt of gratitude to the ,Liitlioritica3 of the Biblioth6que
Nationale, especially to M. Delisle and M. Zotenberg, as
well as to my friends M. Barbier de Meynard and M.
Michel Br6al. For the transcript of the text on which
1 have chiefly had to rely, my thanks are due to Ahmed
Beg Agaeff, who, at considerable personal inconvenience,
exerted himself to the utmost to complete it in the shortest
possible space of time.
The "Succinct Account qf the B(ibll' Jfovement," of
which the English translation forms Appendix IV of this
volume, and of which the Persian text stands at the end
of the book after the Index, was written for me by ~ubh-i-
Ezel in November--December 1889 in reply to sundry
questions which I had addressed to hini a little while pre-
viously. On the importance of such an account coming
from such a source it is unnecessary to dwell : it is almost
as though we had a narrative of the first beginnings of
Islim told by 'Ali ibn Abf Talib. That so valuable a
document deserved publication will, I should think, be
questioned by no one.
Last of all my warmest thanks are due to the Syndics
of the University Press for their liberality in bearing the
cost of publication of a work little likely, I fear, to prove
remunerative; to my friend Mr R. A. Neil of this College
for undertaking, notwithstan ding the many claii-nas on his
time, the labour of reading through the proof-sheets; and
to Baron Rosen and Lieutenant Toumansky for keeping
me continually informed of their latest discoveries, and
for supplying me with proofs of papers not yet published.
That my book may not be found unworthy of the generous
help received from so many different quarters is my earnest
hope.
I
I I  I
THE TARIKH-I-JADID,
OR
NEW HISTORY
OF
I
MIRZA 'ALf MUIJAMMAD THE BA'B.





N. H.
I  I
PREFACE.
THAT in matters of faith and g religion a slavish sub.-
servience to authority and custom is improper and unseemly;
that problems of such vital importance cannot be solved by
passion, prejudice, and idle guesses ; and that we canihiot
soar into a region so vast on the wings of baseless'con-,
jecture or blind conformity, are statements which allwise
and impartial judges will readily admit. For it -was
through naught else than such blind -imitation of --their
ancestors and unreasoning submission. to the. authority -of
their priests that former peoples rejected the prophets, sent
unto them, seeking to justify their unbelief by such words
as, "Verily we found our fathers practising a religion, and
we follow their footsteps'." Neither is this enquiry one
on which we should enter heedlessly or unreflectingly,,
inasmuch as even those best qualified to undertake it do
humbly entreat Him who is the Guide of Wanderers to
keep them from erring or stumbling, while the, very pro-
phets and apostles exclaim in their sense of utter helpless-g
ness, " Place me not with the g wicked people One
cannot, therefore, in a quest so perilous, follow the foot-
steps of such as pretend to take philosophy as a guide of
life while they are themselves still entangled in the bonds
of passion; nor of those who acquire learning only with A
1 Kur'ān, x1iii, 22.
2 Kur'ān, vii, 149.
1





PREFACE. 3
2 THE NEW HISTORY. I
view to obtaining power, and who make their austere and enquiry to his fellow-men, that they also may be delivered
ascetic life a snare wherewith to delude the ignorant. [For from doubt and uncertainty. For this reason did the
the Prophet bath said, "All men shall perish save the writer of this book deem it incumbent on himself to set
wise, and all the wise shall perish save such as make uase of forth in these pages in a concise and narrative form such
their wisdom, and all such as make use of their wisdom information as he acquired during his travels in Persia
shall perish save those who are sincere, and even the concerning the different sects of the MusulmAns, hoping
sincere are in dire peril." This is also implied in the that thereby certain current misapprehensions may be
saying, "The true believer is rarer than the philosopher's dissipated, and that sundry baseless calumnies and false
stone, and harder to find than pure gold" ; while the same accusations which lead men to deem their fellow creatures
fact is eloquently aset forth by Christ where he, says that infidels meet only to be slain and despoiled, whose very
men of every kind shall assemble at the wedding-feast, but touch is a contamination, may be disproved. In this way
that the chosen are few.] the enmity and discord which are the ruin of this people
But inasmuch as the Merciful God bath made every may perchance be abated, so that they may meet and
soul a mirror capable of illumination by the Sun of discuss amicably with a view to the removal of their
Wisdom, in such wise that whosoever will inay thereby differences, and may no longer continue to regard each
apprehend divine verities, and so become endowed with other as infidels and unbelievers without having clearly
true humanity and unselfishness, it behoves every one to apprehended that wherein they are at variance.
renounce all self-seeking and egotism, to avert his gaze To be brief, after travelling for some time in all parts -of
from passion and desire, and earnestly to endeavour to Europe and India and observing the races and religions of
follow the path of God, looking to Him and trusting in those regions, I chanced to visit Persia. Although I had
Him. So with stedfast feet shall he pursue the path of not meditated a long sojourn in that country, nevertheless
righteousness, and enter with all sincerity and singleness of events so shaped themselves that I remained there for a
heart into the highway of enquiry, until lie at length win considerable period, mixing in familiar conversation with
to a state where God shall be gracious unto him and shall all sorts of people, and making friends and acquaintances
guide him unto the recipient of divine revelation and the amongst every class. Some of these invited me to ex-
saint of that age. Thus may the seeker realize the pro- change the Christian faith for the religion of Muhammad;
mise of the blessed word, "Those who strive for us we will others regarded me as one of themselves; others again
assuredly direct into our ways'." received me not. Yet such was the divergence of opinions
Now whosoever bath been brought to this state and led and such the multiplicity of sects which I beheld in this
to apprehend this truth is bound by the gratitude which so religion- Sheykhfs, Mutasharri's, SAffs, Sunnfs, mystics,
signal a blessing ashould inspire, as well as by the dictates metaphysicians, dervishes, Nuseyris', devotees, and BābÕs-
of common humanity, to communicate the results of his that, though my inclination prompted me to advance, my
reason bade me stand still. For if the Kur'-An be one and
Kur'a'n, xxix, 69. contain the commands of God, whence come all these
1-2





4 THE NEW HISTORY.
differences of opinion and contradictory judgements ? Seek
as I might, I could discover no agreement between the
treatises of two vmll6s, or the decisions of two muitallids.
What I heard was ever, "My humble opinion is this," or
"the view held by So-and-so is this," the command of God
being altogether disregarded amongst them.
Alas that they have by their disagreements and dif-
ferences so marred this holy Law that little is left of it
save the name and appearance, and that nothing wise or
intelligible is any longer heard, but only vain discussions
touching legal uncleanness and purification It is as
though God, in His infinite bounty, ahould cause to fall
the rain of mercy, purposing thereby to satisfy all mankind
with sweet streams of wisdom, and to deliver them from
the thirst of ignorance and inadvertence; that thereupon
a host of foul reptiles should gather round the spot where
it had collected pure and sweet, battening, breeding, and
each after his own fashion asserting his supremacy and
claiming undisputed possession ; that in the course of ages
these should so befoul and pollute that pure sweet water
that it waxeth loathsome and abominable; that notwith-
standing this they should still continue with those melodious
voices wherewith they are endowed to invite all inen from
far and near to enter in and drink, crying out "This is the
pure Water of Life and the Fount of Immortality " ; that
pilgrims athirst in the desert of enquiry should approach
with eager hope ; but that on their arrival they should
behold the contrary of what they had expected, and should
turn away in bitter disappointment, saying,
If indeed the faith of IslAni be what in the world appears,
Well may sceptics mock the faith of Islaim with a thousand
sneers ! "
And yet, by striving to exercise a little candour and to
banish dissension, they might still hope to purify and
PREFACE.
reform this holy religion. But if they desire to please God
and His prophets, regenerate their faith, restore to their
creed its pristine lustre, and render their country and state
once more free, prosperous, and powerful, they must in the
first place abandon certain habits which are at present
rooted and engrained in their very nature. To these
habits they have grown so accustomed that not only have
they become almost a second nature, but the hatefulness
thereof is not even suspected by them. Their condition is
like that of a certain priest who said to a friend, " If you
notice in me any objectionable habit of which I myself may
not be aware, pray inform me of it, that I may strive to
relinquish it." " I perceive no fault in you," answered his
friend, "save a habit of using abusive language." "Abusive
language!" cried the other, " What rascally knave calls me





abusive? What shameless ruffian have I abused that he
should dare to prefer such a charge against me?"
Now the principal vice of the Persians (and it is the
worst of faults, and, indeed, the source of all) is falsehood,
which has gained such universal ascendancy and become so
customary and so familiar that truthfulness and integrity
are entir6ly abandoned and ignored. And it is this vice
which has brought about the decay of religion and law and
the enfeeblement of Church and State. For falsehoods
uttered by ministers of state in diplomatic transactions
by destroying the dignity of the Crown and the reputation
of the government, bring about the ruin of the empire ;
falsehoods proceeding from ministers of religion dishonour
the Sacred Law and overthrow the edifice of faith; while
falsehoods uttered by the common folk prevent progress
and tend to bring about the decline and fall of the nation.
For this reason political and religious liberty and national
wealth and prosperity are in all other countries and amongst
all other races and creeds, whether in Europe or India,





6 THE NEW HISTORY.
daily on the increase ; while with this unfortunate people,
by reason of this same perverse untruthfulness and lack of
integrity, they are continually on the decline, though the
prevalent corruption, disorder, and mental preoccupation
do not suffer the cause of this to be discerned.
The people of Italy were till within recent years similarly
afflicted. Eventually a number of their men of learning
assembled together to investigate the cause of this. "Since
we dwell in the fairest portion of Europe," said they, "and
are skilled in all arts, trades, manufactures, and sciences,
what can be the reason that we are continually deteriorating
while our neighbours are perpetually making progress in
every direction ? " After due thought and deliberation
they discovered that this was wholly traceable to the
influence of the Pope, who in their country represented
the supreme spiritual authority, declaring himself to be the
vicar of Christ. He, like the divines of Persia, withheld
men from acquiring iia-,efiil arts and accomplishments or
amassing wealth by senseless injurictions, in proof of which
lie would adduce sayings of great and holy men whereof
he had wholly failed to apprehend the true purport, sue
as, " The world is carrion and such aas desire it are dogs"
" Love of the world is the source of all error "; " Provision
is appointed and the covetous are disappointed." These
aphorisms, and others like unto them, had been so dinned
into men's ears that they had ceased to care for art,
commerce, agriculture, or wealth, and had been brought to
regard this ancient and enduring world as a thing im-
permanent and unstable as a spider's web, saying, for
example,-
"Naught in tb e world shall endure ;
Naught shall abide 'neath the sun;
Earth is a mansion as frail
As the web which the spider hath spun."
I
PREFACE.
7
Yet in this " spider's web " the wise men of , Europe,
by means of the astronomical instruments and tables which
they possess, behold one of those celestial orbs whereof
some are so remote that the light proceeding from them
must travel for thirty thousand years ere it reach this
globe, notwithstanding that light travels two hundred
thousand miles a second! We speak here of orbs which
the wise men of those parts have actually beheld with the
eye of sense, for as to those far more distant orbs which
cannot be seen without special appliances, but which still
exercise attraction on other celestial bodies, they extend
unto wheresoever God pleaseth, and He alone knoweth
their number, the distances which intervene between them,





the fashion of their formation, and the kind of creatures
which inhabit them. Compared to these this globe is like
a ball encircled by the bat of Divine Might, and so moved
and rolled by the sun's attraction.
To be brief, however, when the wise men of Europe
and the people of Italy had proved the extent of His
Holiness the Pope's hypocrisy, guile, and deceit, they
exerted all their energies, and, notwithstanding all his
power and the subjection in which he had hitherto held
all the sovereigns of Europe, so effectually deposed him
and his children and grandchildren that naught remained
of him but the name and appearance, nor did anyone
thenceforth pay the slightest heed to a single word
which he wrote. After this they employed themselves
in spreading the triumphs of Art, Commerce, and Political
Reform, until in a little while they became objects of
emulation to all their fellows and contemporaries.
Now, although the Persians have witnessed and com-
prehended the consequences of falsehood, they still refuse
to relinquish this evil habit-
I know not how such as in evil delight
See nothing but evil in virtue and right."





8
THE NEW HISTORY.
Yet in their books of tradition it is stated on good
authority that certain persons demanded of the ImAin
Ja'far-i-SAdik, "Will your followers commit crimes and
do unlawful actions?" He answered, "Yes." "Will they
be guilty of fornication alid sins against nature?~' they
asked. "It is possible," lie replied. "Will they drink
wine and do murder?" they inquired. , it is likely
enough," said he. " Will they utter falsehoods ?" they
asked. " That," said lie, "is impossible! "
Notwithstanding this, the Persians astill claim to be
Shi'ites, and, although God has called liars accursed in
all the sacred books, refuse to abandon their mendacious
habits. Nor do they confine themselves to minor false-
hoods affecting only the things of this world, for in
matters relating to religion also they have shewn them-
selves to be ready liars and shameless -forgers, as will be
duly set forth in its proper place.
Now the principal evil of falsehood is, that when it
has entered- into a man's nature -aii(hl there established
itself, it generates a host of other evils. Amongst these
is hypocrisy, which is a kind of unbelief. Hypocrites
have ever been the chief cause of the downfall of re-
ligion, even as the Seal of the Prophets, Muhammad,
hath said, " I fear for this faith neither unbeliever nor
believer, but I fear - the hypocrite who makes a show of
faith and harbours unbelief in his heart." Now the ori-
ginal meaning of the word kit
,fr (unbelief) is the con-
cealing of h-uth or right in any way whatsoever, though
it be but to the extent of a mustard-seed or mote, without
its being restricted to the truth or right of God or man.
Indeed it is evident that none can conceal God, who is
more evident and manifest than the visible sun. So a
k6fir (unbeliever) is one who refuses to recognize the
rights of God or of his fellow-men; and this unbelief, as
I imagine, exists to some extent in every one. And so
i
PREFACE.
9
likewise the devout Musulm.An is he who recognizes God
and all 'such as have just claims on him, and who dis-
charges the duties which he owes to others in a right
manner, injuring none either in word or deed. But as for
such as devour the wealth of great and small alike, dis-
honour their fellow-men, lay violent hands on the property
of this one or that one, give unjust decisions, and de-
nounce as infidels and doom to death God's servants, I
know not how they can hope or believe that they are
devout Musulmins! Could some men but regard them-





selves impartially and discern their own inward unbelief,
they would never again ascribe infidelity to another 1
As it has now been shewn that disregard and neglect
of the rights of our fellow-men is a kind of unbelief, it is
evident also that hypocrisy is a species of latent infidelity,
and Muhammad hath said, Infidelity is more difficult
of detection amongst my people than a black ant crawling
in the dark night over hard rock." Now hypocrites are
those whose hearts and tongues are not in accord, -whose
words and deeds are inconsistent, who are inwardly repro-,
bate and outwardly devout, and who, clothing themselves
in the garb of a spurious asceticism and simulated piety,
seek to deceive God and man by their guile and cuniiing-
"Without fair-seeming as the pagan's shrine;
Wi thin o'ershadowed by the wrath divine;
The life of Bdyazfdl their lips defame -,
Their hearts Yazfd2 himself might blush to claim."
Now should anyone, while admitting that it is possible
by guile and falsehood to deceive men, demand how it,is
possible to deceive God, we reply that, albeit this is im-
1 BAyazid of Bistim, a celebrated SAff saint who flourished in
the third century of the hijra.
2 Yazid b. Muliviya, the second 0mayyad caliph and mur-
derer of the Imim Huseyn. He reigned from A.H. 60 to 64. ,





i
10 THE NEW HISTORY.
possible, these foolish itgicii do nevertheless attempt to
cheat Him who is " the Bost Deviser of Stratagems'," and
to explain away the ordinances and commandinents of
Muhammad, the Seal of the Prophets. Have you, not
yourself seen and heard of how many estates and fortunes
persons ostensibly devout obtain possession, persuading
themselves by their casuistry that these are tgheir lawful
right and just due? Judge by this of the thousand other
species of traffickings, barterings, and pleadings whereby,
in diverse fashions, they compel rightful claimants to effect
settlements and partial compromises. With such phrases
as " I compromise," " I agree," which have now become
universal technicalities, do they defraud God and man,
trampling under foot the rights of their fellows, and
shutting their eyes to equity and justice. This is the
real meaning of infidelity, and these are the true infidels.
Consider fairly: if a woman be entitled to receive a. thou-
sand tu'm6nis dowry from her husband, or a sister the like
sum as a legacy from her brother, and if, after the, con-
clusion of the legal formalities and proceedings, she be
unabl-I to enforce her just claims and be compelled to
effect a compromise at one hundred tu'vzains, have those
other nine hundred ta'mdns become the lawful due of
those who constitute themselves her creditors, and are
their consciences clear? Though the doctors of law and
divinity have now given their sanction and authority to
such decisions, yet are they none the less repugnant to
God's good pleasure, and inconsistent with true piety and
virtue.
So, in like manner, if a hundred tfinza'ns of tithe' be
So is God termed in two passages in the Kur'6n: iii, 47; and
viii) 30.
2 In the original kliums, which signifies a proportion of one
fifth of wealth acquired in war, commerce, or the like, to which
PREFACE.
11
due from one of these pious believers, they will place that
sum in a vessel containing oil, honey, or curdled milk,
and offer it instead of the tithe to some poor Seyyid.
Then for a small sum they buy back the vessel with the
hundred tu'ma'??s concealed therein from the Seyyid, who,
poor fellow, is quite unconscious of the way in which he
has been defrauded. Or sometimes they will give one
tt'im(g't~t to a poor Seyyid on condition that he accept it
as a hundred tq'tnubis. By such quibbles do they mock
God, and account themselves free of blame in their usurpa-
tion of men's wealth. By the more utterance of the phrase
" I compromise," they divest themselves of all anxiety as
to the questioning of the Day of Reckoning, although they





profess to believe in the holy precept "Contracts follow
intentions," which, indeed, they are unable to deny. Yet,
fraudulent and sophistical hypocrites that they are, they
consider the wealth which they have amassed by their legal
quibbles and artifices just as lawfully obtained as did the
thief the shroud for his mother.
For they relate that the mother of a certain thief when
at the point of death besought him to obtain for her a
lawful shroud'. lie assented, and sallying forth from his
house at midnight lay in wait at the end of a road. By
chance lie presently fell in with a poor solitary traveller
who had-lagged behind the caravan, and at once took from
him by force his ass and his saddle-bags. Amongst the
various articles contained in the latter lie discovered
several yards of linen, whereat lie rejoiced and gave thanks,
saying, "Praise be to God who hath not suffered me
to return disappointed and ashaiiied to my mother!"
Then he fell to beating the owner of the linen with all his
might, crying, "Make this linen lawful to ngie with thy
the descendants of the Prophet are entitled. See Querry's Droit
Musulman, vol. i, p. 175 et seq.





12 THE NEW HISTORY.
whole heart 1 " On his return lie described to his mother
all that had taken place, saying, "I gave the owner of the
linen such a drubbing that he cried out with all his might,
'I make it lawful to thee,' repeating more than a thousand
times with tears and groans, 'May it be lawful to thee!"'
Now this hypocrisy, with the envy, frowardness, guile,
and jealousy which are, as it were, the fourfold elements of
which it is compounded, has become so engrained in this
people as to be almost a second nature. Their miserable
and degraded condition is entirely due to this cause, for no
two individuals can unite or combine in any enterprise
without quarrelling; and, should they enter into partner-
ship for six months, for six years they will be wholly
occupied with litigation. In short they so vex, oppress,
and harass one another in every possible way that the very
name of charity and courtesy would seem to be forgotten.
Another offspring of this hypocrisy is injustice, which
drinks milk from the breast of the false mother and draws
instruction from the I in,, father, until, when it is well
y t,
matured and has learned to walk alone, it goes abroad to
destroy the welfare of every land where it plants its foot-
steps. Such is the injustice which holds absolhlite sway
over this country, and to which the people (through ancient
habit and long subserviency, and because, as the proverb
says, "Men follow the, faith of their kings") have becoiihie
as much attached as is the nightingale to the rose or the
moth to the candle. Though their wings are scorched by
this fire, they still whirl recklessly around it, as though
eager for immolation. To adopt another simile, this in-
justice is like a chronic wasting disease which is continually
sapping and undermining the health of this people, who are
notwithstanding so heedless of their condition that they
fancy themselves better every day, and refuse to follow the
advice of those wise physicians who bid them avoid that
PREFACE.
13
lying and hypocrisy which generate it. Such spiritual
pliysiciana~ were the prophets and saints sent for their
guidance and healing, to whom, out of inere cruelty and
lust of oppression, they did such things as the pen is
ashamed to record.
Now just as these vile qualities of which we have
spoken are the cause of temporal and eternal loss and
ignominy, so do kindliness, charity, and concord conduce to
the welfare and progress of states and nations, and secure
peace and happiness for great and small. It is impossible
to do justice here to the beneficial results of these qualities,
and we will only remark that true affection and charity is
not that a man should love his wife, children, and kindred,





or his fellow-citizens and compatriots only. He is indeed
worthy of the name of man who loves all his fellow-
creatures, withholds his charity from no human being,
refrains from injuring by word or deed aught that has life,
and neither scorns nor regards as unclean anything -which
breathes, however lowly, remembering that it too stands in
some relation to the Lord of the Universe, and would -not
exist but for some beneficent purpose. And so the wise and
humane man will not regard as accursed aught which exists,
nor spurn it, nor speak evil of it, even as the Lord Jesus
was once walking with some of his disciples when they
came suddenly upon a dead and putrid dog, at the stench
of whose corruption the disciples expressed their disgust.
But he rebuked them, saying, "Why take ye heed but of
the corruption of its body, and regard not its white teeth
nor ponder on its defence of its master's rights and con-
tentment with its lot ? Regard but what is good, if ye be
of the spirit."
, How far from this are some, who, instead of striving to
see naught but good in all around them, occupying them-
selves with the amendment of their own characters, and





14
THE NEW HISTORY.
endeavouring to remove their own faults, seek only in their
folly to discover blemishes in others 1 " Such an one," say
these, " is unsound in his religio'Lis beliefs " ; " So-and-so is a
reprobate and accursed"; "The to-Lich of Zeyd is a, pollu.-
tion"; "It were a meritorious action to slay 'Amr." Only
the most extravagant self-approbation and conceit can
lead them to speak thus, and of all vices these are the ligiost
detestable. To them is traceable in no small measure the
deterioration of the Persians, their refusal to accept new
idea,s, and their complete indifference -to the progress and
well-being of their country, And so, in spite of all their
self-esteem, they are continually going back while all other
nations are advancing. Yet they themselves relate, a well-
known tradition of how God bade Moses seek out some
creature of less account than himself and bring it into the
Divine Presence, After searching for a while Moses dis-
covered the putrid carcase of a dog. Thinking that this
would serve his purpose, lie attached a cord to its leg and
began to drag it after him, but ere he had proceeded many
steps the thought came upon him, "How dare 1 prefer
myself even to this?" Even as he dropped the cord from
his hand he beard a voice rebuking him and saying,
"0 son of 'lmrAn, hadst thou brought that dog one
step further thou wouldst have forfeited thy rank of pro-
phet 1 "
Far removed froin this humility of Moses (who, not-
withstanding his prophetic rank and the privilege of com-
muning with God which he enjoyed, dared not prefer
himself to the putrid carease of a dog) is the arrogance of
those who regard tliemaselves as superior to all the rest of
mankind, and do not even lieasitate to rank themselves
above Moses, quoting in support of their presumption the
tradition, "The doctors of my church are more excellent
than the prophets of the children of Israel." As to the
i
PREFACE.
rest of God's servants, they hold them in less account than n
the carcase of a dog !
In strong contrast with these are the people of Europe,
who have truly apprehended the meaning of affection and
concord, and have reaped from these a wondrous harvest.
For, solely by reason of g the love which they bear towards
their fellow-creatures, the wise men of modern Europe have
devoted themselves to the devising of such appliances as
may serve to lessen the sufferings of God's creatures or
conduce to their prosperity and comfort, whereby also the
glory of the State is increased. Thus was the power of
steam discovered, whereby thousands of factories of different
kinds were set in motion, many precious and wonderful





goods produced, and prodigies of workmanship hitherto
undreamed of accomplished. The land was delivered from
the thraldom. of desolation and disorder ' the people were
freed from sloth and poverty, the nation waxed rich and
the state strong. Governments ceased to depend - on
oppression and injustice as a means of acquiring revenue,
and the practice of extorting money by threats and promises
fell into d,isuse. Every effort was made to secure equal
Justice for all, and every exertion put forth to perfect the
mechanism of the administration. The people, thus. freed
from anxiety, began to seek after education and culture,
and to make rapid progress in humanity and virtue; and,
since each bad his allotted share in the common work and
was indispensable to the common weal, all became United
in intent and purpose. Thus they made progress in every
direction and became objects of emulation to all around
them.
Amongst these numerous inventions was the railroad,
which was originally devised with the object of alleviating
the sufferings endured by beasts of burden and increasing
the comforts of travellers. Consider the benefits which





i I ~
16 THE NEW HISTORY.
have resulted from this invention, and observe how, where-
ever it goes, it furthers the prosperity of the country and
the freedoiigi of the people, leaving none within the sphere
of its influence poor or unemployed, and furnishing each
with work suited to his capacity. How largely has it
conduced to national progress, wealth, and consolidation 1
How well it shelters its patrons from the depredations of
robbers, the keenness of the winter's cold, and the fierce
heat of summer!
Not long ago the Prime Minister of Persia, actuated
solely by a desire for the welfare of his nation, sought to
introduce into his country that which had elsewhere proved
so beneficial. In this design, however, lie was vigorously
opposed by the doctors of religion, who stirred up the
people against him by telling them that the increased
influx of Europeans which would result from the proposed
iniiovatioigi would infallibly bring about the spread of in-
fidelity and the downfall of religion. They were really
actuated by a fear lest in course of time the eyes of the
people might be opened and they should refuse any longer
to obey them blindly. So they set themselves to discover
objections and obstacles to the proposed scheme, to fabricate
cc authentic" traditions, and to cast imputations of atheism
on the Minister. Thus, because of their selfishness and
craving for power, they would not suffer this people after a
thousand years of abasement and misery to obtain peace
and happiness.
A certain Persian of sense and discernment wrote a
pamphlet to expose the true motives of these doctors.
Unfortunately, however, it was not published or circulated,
for "truth is bitter," and its contents would have been so
uupalatable to his antagonists that, had they seen it, they
would, without stopping to consider the arguments con-
tained in it, at once have declared its author an infidel. It
r
PREFACE.
17~
is not.unlikely that they would pronounce the same judge-
ment on the author of the present work; but he, thank
God, is not of this people, and cares naught for the appro-
bation or resentment of any one.
"I neither hearken to the Sheykh, nor hold the parson's
creed ;
From every sect and every faith, thank heaven, I am
freed I I"
Now if I have strongly and repeatedly insisted on the
defects apparent in the religion of certain persons, the
injustice of the government, the ignorance of the people,
or the total absence of moderation and fairness in the





ministers of church and state, God is my witness that I
have no personal spite against any individual or class. My
sole object is to arouse their zeal by bringing these matters
before their notice, and to shew them the hatefulness of
certain of their vices in a true light, so that they may
cease to regard them as trivial, and may learn to abhor
and avoid them. So also when I instance the practices of
European nations in exemplification of such virtues as
justice, magnanimity, charity, uprightness, and culture,
and dwell on their praises, it is from no mere desire to
extol my compatriots', but in the hope that'thereby I may
arouse the spirit of emulation in this people, incite them to
acquire these good qualities, and induce them to desist
from injuring and destroying their fellow-countrymen.
To return, however, to the tract of which I spoke. The
author maintains that the Persians are endowed with a
1 This verse and the words immediately preceding it are
noticed by Baron Rosen (Coll. Sci., vol. vi, p. 244) as affording
some evidence that Minakjf, the late Zoroastrian agent at
TeherAn, wrote, or caused to be written, this history.
2 It must be borne in mind that throuohout this work the
0
author maintains the fiction of his European nationality.
2
N. H.





18 THE NEW HISTORY.
high degree of intelligence and aptitude, and are fully
capable of improvement, but that unfortunately their
rulers, fearing to lose the authority which they enjoy, will
not stiffer them to open their eyes and ears, or learn to
discriminate between good and evil. After establishing
this thesis by conclusive arguments, lie puts forward the
following allegory, observing that, as each of the ministers
of state is charged with special duties, the Minister for
Foreign Affairs may be likened to the sentinel who keepas
guard over the citadel of the empire. And so, when one
comes in the early morning and knocks at the gate of this
citadel, the Minister for Foreign Affairs demands, " Who
art thou, and what dost thou seek?"
" I am Justice and Progress," answers the other, " and
I come to establish equity, inaugurate an era of progress,
and root out disorder and oppression."
" Thanks be to God," answers the Minister, " that our
land already enjoys the fullest measure Of justice and
progress. We need you not."
The other then proves to the Minister by conclusive,
evidence that he is JhListice and Progress, after which he
continues :-
" Long ago I went forth from this country and took up
my abode iigi Europe. For more than a thousand years I
have not beheld this land or its people, nor set my footsteps
on its soil. Learning, however, that a fraudulent impostor
claiming to be myself has formed a league with Discord to
lay waste the land, I have now returned, for charity's sake,
to effect its regeneration. Open the door!"
Z)
Quoth the Minister, bolting the door more securely,
Our country needs not your help. Thanks be to God, we
have strong and lofty buildings."
I bring from Europe," rejoins the other, "all manner
of new and wonderful inventions and appliances, that I
PREFACE.
1, 4.1, :  :
19
y tic on, ee e peop e from misery and
poverty, and make them rich, prosperous and happy like
the people of Europe."
"We want not your gifts," replies the Minister, "for
such of these things as we need men bring from Europe,
and we buy them. Besides, if our people were to become
rich, they would rise in rebellion."
After much discussion and argument, the Minister,
unable to raise any further objections, says in a soft and
wheedling tone, "Your remarks are perfectly just. Through
your influence countries prosper, peoples are made free, and
nations become great. But what can I do? With you here





I could neither govern nor subsist, but must at once re-
linquish my power, limit myself to the exercise of my
proper authority, and content myself with the fixed salary
paid to ine by the state. An annual income of two hundred
thousand t6mrins and an annual expenditure of one hun-
dred thousand would be no longer possible, inasmuch as I
should be prevented from accepting gifts and bribes, and
could no longer arrest, imprison, condemn, and acquit as~ I
please. In spite of my lofty rank 1 should be compelled to
abide by the law, nor should I be permitted even to apply
a simple abusive epithet to one of my subordinates without
causa. These things being -so, I cannot, so -long as I -live,
admit you. But even if I were to withdraw my opposition,
there is not one of the administrators of the state who would
stiffer you to remain here for a single instant. They would
all unite in representing you to the Privy Council as an
enemy to His Majesty the King, and would forthwith issue
orders for your execution. But even leaving this out of
account, the doctors of religion, on becoming aware of your
arrival, would at once assemble and produce a thousand
well-authenticated and accredited traditions against you.
That they would kill you is a mere nothing, for they regard
2-2





20 THE NEW HISTORY. PREFACE. 21"
i
it as obligatory on every MusuhnAn to drink your blood abasement is the prevailing lack of justice and absence
and eat your flesh, and if one should so much as mention of generous feeling. Not that they have not a certain
your name they declare him an infidel deserving of death. kind of justice of their own, but it is like the piety of
That they would not suffer~ you to remain in this country the Hindoos and Jews', which doth but conduce to their
for a single moment is also nothing, for wherever they greater error. Nor are they devoid of all social instincts
recognize one of your friends and admirers they slay him and power of combination, but their concord is the concord
without a moment's respite. They regard all Europeans as, of wolves, who appear friendly while face to face,'but, so
enemies who inay be lawfully plundered and slain solely soon as one relaxes his attention in the least degree and
because of the love which these bear you. The massacres suffers sleep to overcome him, they tear him in pieces. So
and persecutions of the BābÕs-a sect so remarkable for do they combine to plunder, but afterwards quarrel over
their steadfastness and earnestness of purpose-were also the spoil.
brought about entirely by their devotion to you; else why How much better have the people of Europe ap-
do the MusulmAns refrain from interfering with the Nu- prehended the true ideal of friendship! Some years ago
aseyrfs and GhAlis (whom their clergy regard as utter they announced in all their newspapera-, that in the opinion
heretics), the KhArijfs, the eleven unorthodox sects of of experts all the coal-miDes in the world would be ex-
ImAmites, the SAdikfs and Ni'u'sfs (who hold that the hausted in a thousand (or, as others maintained, in less
linAmate ceased with the ImAm Ja'far-i-SAdik, and regard than four hundred) years; that then all the railways and
him as the promised Mahdf), and the MukhtArfs' (who factories in the world which are worked with coal would
assert that Muhammad ibiih Hanafiyya was the expected be brought to a standstill and rendered useless; and that
ImAm), all of w,hom are a hundred thousand times worse any one who should succeed in devising some substitute
than the BābÕs?" It for coal would confer a benefit upon his own and all
What the learned author of this tract wished to shew nations, and would receive a pension for himself and his
was that these people have neither care nor compassion for heirs in perpetuity. Such people, who concern themselves
their agiibor(linates, being concerned only about the pre- about the welfare of those who shall come into the world
servation of their own power, and not at all about the several hundred years hence, may indeed be said to have
protection of those committed to their charge. Had it grasped the true meaning of affection 1 This is why they
been otherwise, the people would never have sunk into have made, and still continue to make, countless dis-
ago degraded a condition nor have become so despicable coveries in the application of electricity, compressed air,
in the eyes of foreign states, for the cause of this national and the like.
Accounts of these sects will be found as follows i When I was on my way to Persia I met in Alexandria
n
one of my friends who had reasided for some while in that
Shabrist~ufs Ifit(ibit'l-9nilal (ed. Cureton):-the Nuseyriyya, p.
143; the Ghulit or Ghiliya, p. 132; the Khirijiyya, p. 85; the
Iminiiyya, p. 122; the S6dikiyya or Ja'fariyya, 1). 124; the C. reads "'Alagians," but it seems unlikely that Aldnakjf
MYlsiyya, p. 126; the Mukhtiriyya, p. 109. would have gone out of his way to speak ill of his own people.





22 THE NEW HISTORY. PREFACE.  23
country, and lie remarked to me, " Persia has great natural the people toiadopt this custoin, it is best that they should'
resources, but the people are devoid of kindliness." Thia3 observe the second condition, and, by means of fair- dis-
was exactly what I ngiyself afterwards observed. it is this cussioD, remove dissent from their religion, so that concord
lack of kindliness which causes them to hold alooffrom may be established and peace succeed all this dissension
their fellow-men, and thereby to cut themselves off from and strife.
the possibility of happiness and progress. So, in course of Now although there are amongst the Muhannuadans
time, these misunderstandings and differences which have more than seventy different sects, each of which is further
ar
brought about their ruin C ose, and *Ttlie government was split up into several subdivisions, these, though they may
thus enabledl* to usurp a tyrannous sway. Now until hold aloof from each other, are not at enmity and strife;
they make the recovery of this concord and harniony the for ages have elapsed since their differences first appeared.
object of their endeavours it is impossible for them to But in the case of the Bdbis, who are of recent origin, they
make any progress in civilization. And the conditions make the most strenuous and persistent efforts to harass
under which the attainment of this end is possible are and hurt them in every way, seizing, imprisoning, and
two. The first is that they should follow the example of slaying them with unremitting enery and this notwit -
0y)
European nations, and refrain from interfering in any way standing that they know nothing of their beliefs, and
with the religious opinions of their fellows, regarding all as declare them infidels solely on the misrepresentations of
God's creatures, and acting towards all with kindlinesas certain ignorant and malicious persons. Wherefore since
and charity. For the people of Dirope became civilized the writer, during his travels in Persia, became - fully
when they abandoned all attempts to constrain any man III cognizant of the history and doctrines of this sect, he felt
matters concerning himself alone (of which matters is the himself impelled by sympathy and common humanitygto
choice of a creed and the manner of its observance), and compose this book, that perchance by its instrumentality
confined themselves to the suppression of actions hurtful these discords and blind enmities may be removed, andh
to the community, such as lying, breach of contract, and men be led to pursue the paths of amity and concord,
evil-doing. So in matters of conscience they compel no whereby they shall become generous, huniane, earnest,
one, nor do they say, "You must accept such-and-such a magnanimouas, and noble; cease to appear vile and con-
creed and obey such-and-stich a divine." Indeed in Europe teinptible in the sight of other nations ; and be no longer
people who claim to be civilized never question anyone as a by-word throughout the world for lack of virtue, misery,-
to his religion, nor do they consider themselves entitled to folly, and uncharitableness. As God is my witness, though-
make such an enquiry, lest their own taste be questioned I be not of this nation', whenever I reflect on the former
by people of culture. As, however, it appears impossible greatness of this people and their present abasement my
that the ecclesiastical authorities in Persia should suffer eyes involuntarily overflow with tears and my heart is filled
with sorrow.
* rthose wolves in sheep's clothing who are the heads
of church and state were enabled]* -1 1 Cf. n. 2 at the foot of p. 17, supra.





24
THE NEW HISTORY.
About the time of the appearance of Seyyid 'Alf
Muhammad the BAb, when all Persia was convulsed, I
arrived by way of Constantinople and Trebizonde at Tabriz.
Here I saw with my own eyes and heard with my own ears
how the BAbis were everywhere hunted down, and, where-
ever found, doomed to death, without enquiry or exami-
nation, by the ecclesiastical or civil authorities. Some
were sawn asunder, some strangled, some shot, or blown
from the months of cannons. This period of massacre and
plunder endured for a long while, and in Yezd, ShfrAz,
Tabriz, Nfrfz, MAzandarAn, and ZaiijAn there was strife,
bloodshed, massing of troops, and slaughter of the people.
None were spared. Those who bore a grudge against any-
one, as well as bands of scoundrels bent on plunder, had
now their opportunity, for whomsoever they pointed out
to the fm-raishes as a BābÕ was put to death without
more ado.
The object of my travels in Persia was to visit and
examine the different towns and describe their geographical
features. In every city, village, or hamlet which I entered,
1 beheld the saine strife and turngioil, whereat I marvelled
much, saying to myself, "What can these people see in
this new faith, and what manner of men has it made them,
that they recoil in fear neither from death nor bondage,
mutilation nor imprisonment? Rather will they consent to
abandon their riches, their wives and children, yea, even
life itself, than this belief, though already nigh upon ten
thousand of them have drenched the earth with their
blood, or gone forth as exiles into foreign lands. How
many ancient families have perished! How many notable
and esteemed persons, divines, doctors, and other men of
learning and virtue, have abandoned wealth and life and
made the earth their couclil Yet withal they neither
repent) nor dissimulate, nor seek to preserve themselves,
I
I
I
I
~ I -
f
PREFACE.
25
nor shrink from the arrests, imprisonments, and executi ons
which are of daily occurrence."
I enquired of sundry doctors and men of learning
amongst the Shi'ites concerning the nature of this people's
belief and the sources whence they drew their inspiration.
The answer which I received was that they believed the
BAb to be the ImAm Mahdf ; held their wives and posses-





sions in common, regarding both alike as belonging to
God alone; accounted lawful the drinking of wine and
every kind of immorality, as well as other things pro-
hibited by IslAm; and asserted that one woman might,
and indeed should, have nine husbands.
Hearing of such follies, I was disposed to regard these
people as madmen, until at length I became acquainted
with certain learned men belonging to this sect, and heard
that every one of those who had been taken and put to
death had been a master of eloquence and discernment,
an authority on matters of learning, and an object of
general esteem and respect, as, for example, were MU-114
Uuseyn of Bushraweyh, A'kA Seyyid YahyA of DArib, MU114
Muhammad 'Alf of ZaniAn, and the rest. My astonishment
was increased by finding such persons amongst the BābÕs,
" for," thought I with myself, "it cannot be that men so
wise and so gifted should believe in the absurdities with
which they are credited by the ignorant and vulgar, neither
would they so freely and joyfully forego their position,
wealth, families, and even their very lives unless they had
apprehended something of moment."
Now in every age two classes are inwardly antagonistic
to the spirit of a new dispensation-statesmen and priests.
These, because they love authority and dominion, stand
firmest in the ranks of denial, and are conspicuous for the
obstinacy with which they reject the new truth. This is
more especially so in the case of the clergy, because they





26
THE NEW IIISTORY.
run a greater risk of losing their power; and, indeed,
unless the prophet of the age, perceiving in thein some
latent merit and virtue, should constrain theign by his
attractive influence, it is scarcely possible for them to
enter in.
1Dasmuch as I was most eager to apprehend correctly
and record in writing the doctrines and principles of every
religion and cult, I strove to acquire precise information
as to the tenets of this new sect also, in order that I
might give some account of tlieign in my journal of travel
in Persia. After seeking for some while, I obtained several
of their books, including the Bey('02, the I'k('tgii, and sundry
epistles, treatises, and fornhis of prayer. On examining these
I perceived them to be written with eloquent fervour, and
to contain nought but precepts of virtue and piety, com-
mands to love God and man, and exhortations to seek
after wisdom and purity of morals. Brotherly love, equal
participation of wealth, chastity, and charity towards all
were likewise enjoined. Amongst the precepts contained
in their books one which specially won my approval and
led me to prosecute my enquiries with renewed zeal was in
substance as follows:-
"0 servants of God, it behoveth you to be so weaned
fi-oni all save God, and so endow'ed with divine qualities,
that your works may be a proof to such of God's creatures
as are still in darkness, and may rend asunder the veils
of doubts, vain iiuaginiiigas, and promptings of devils which
hinder them from this Law of Wisdom revealed by the
All-merciful Lord, so that they may become partakers in
the pure water of Eternal Life and the everlasting wine of
Salsabil."
To be brief, after prosecuting my enquiries for some
while, and ascertaining somewhat about the matter, I be-
came acquainted with aseveral men of learning belonging
i
i
i
I
f
i
PREFACE.
27,
to this sect. One day in the course of confidential con-
versation I enquired of one of these, " What have you
perceived in this new faith that no kind of suffering will
induce you to relinquish it? Already not fewer than ten
thousand of you have been laid low in blood-stained graves
or driven forth into distant countries as exiles from their
native land, neither is any abatement yet apparent in the





persecutions to which you are subjected. Why have you
no compassion for yourselves, your wives, and your children?
Who and what was this BAb? Had he been. gifted with
supernatural powers, lie ought assuredly to have saved
himself from a miserable death, and not suffered men to
crucify and slay him, or the wild beasts to devour his
body."
0 n hearing these words my companion became affected
with a sorrow strange to witness, and replied,  .. .. . ; .
it 'And darest thou question those whom God hath given
Power to control the treasure-house of heaven?"'
Seeing him so affected, I strove with all my tact to
conciliate him, saying, " Men ignorantly utter many foolish
words and baseless assertions wh ' ich in no wise prove the
falsity of the religion iii question. My enquiry was not
intended to imply either denial or affirmation, and I de-
sire but to arrive at the truth of the matter as an *un-
prejudiced historian, who is not concerned with anyone's
creed, but wishes only to obtain accurate information as
to the circumstances, practices, and doctrines of any sect
having a claiin to advance, so that he may commit to
writing the facts which lie has aaseertained. This is my
sole object, and I therefore pray you to give me a true
account of the matter."
Thereupon my friend gave me some account of that
illustrious Seyyid, and of the persecutions suffered by his





28
THE NEW HISTORY.
followers, whereof that which I myself had seen afforded
ample corroboration. So my heart began to burn within
me as I reflected on the patient fortitude and endurance
of these people, the sufferings which they had undergone,
and the total absence of justice in Persia. For in other
countries many erring sects whose practices are abominable
in the eyes of all, such as the different kinds of Hindoos
(who are adorers of beasts, idolaters, cow-worshippers,
Manicheans, fire-worshippers, and even downright atheists)
live peacefully under the protection of just rulers, neither
is it permitted to any one to question the religion of
another. And although the Bdbfs are no -worse than
these, nor than the Nuseyrfs, GhAlis, KhArijfs, Nisibfs',
materialists, and sceptics, but are, on the contrary, re-
inarkable for their superior huiihiaiiity, culture, and in-
telligence, yet, because of the total absence of justice in
Persia and the misrepresentations to which they have
been exposed, they have been subjected to the most cruel
treatment, albeit those things which are alleged in proof
of their infidelity are utterly false and devoid of founda-
tion. Therefore, being moved by love of mankind and a
desire to dispel the misconceptions entertained concerning
this sect, I felt myself constrained to set forth in a sepa-
rate treatise somewhat concerning thein and their beliefs,
so that those who read these pages may be rightly informed
concerning them, and may cease to treat with such cruelty
those who are not only God's creatures but their own
fellow-countryi-neii.
I therefore requested my friend to visit me at my
I See note at the foot of p. 20, supra. The Nisibis (ahlu'n-
nasb, ndsibiyga) are a sect who make it a matter of religious
obligatioii to bear a violent hatred to 'Alf b. Abi TAlib, the first
IniAm. of the Shi'ites. See Lane's Arabic-English Lexicon, vol.
viii, p. 2800, third column.
PREFACE.
29
abode twice a week during his hours of leisure', and to
describe from the beginning all the events of this dis-
pensation as they actually occurred, together with the
doctrines in which he believed, so that what I proposed
to write might be a true and correct statement of facts.
He, when he perceived me to be free, from prejudice, eager
for discussion, and unwilling to accept anything on hear-'
say, was kind enough to introduce me to one of his co-
religionists who was remarkable alike for his learning and
virtue telling me that I might rely on whatever 1 should
hear from this man, since he had personal knowledge of all
things connected with this matter.
I soon -found opportunities of holding frequeigit and





prolonged conversations with my new acquaintance, whose
virtue and learning proved fully equal to what I had'been
led ' to expect. Even before he adopted the new creed he
was notable for his piety and godliness, and, notwith-
standing the fact that he was in easy circumstances and
possessed of ninch wealth, was reported to have made a
pilgrimage on foot to the shrine of the ImAin Rizi at
Mash-had in company with HAjf Mir 'Abdu'l-Wisi' the
dervish, who, for thirty-five years, had withdrawn himself
entirely from the world. The hardships and privations of
that jourDey bore fruit, for on reaching KburAsdn he met
with MullA Ni'lliatu'llAh of Ardabfl, Mulli-Yihsuf 'Alf of
Khiiy, and MullA 'Abdu'l-KhAlik of Yezd, all wise and
holy men, by whom he was directed to the truth. The
full and detailed accounts vouchsafed to me by this man,
enhanced as they were in interest by his agreeable manners
and evident sincerity, confirmed me in the resolution which
I had formed to write this treatise.
My original intention was to confine myself to a state-
ment of the history and doctrine of this sect, avoiding all
controversial matter. My friend, however, pointed out to





I
I
30 THE NEW HISTORY.
me that if I desired to render real service to the cause of
truth and to remove existing misapprehensions, I shoitili
certainly fail, if I did not even make matters worse, by
omitting all reference to the arguments and proofs adduced
in support of the doctrine. About this time, moreover, it BEGINNING OF THE NARRATIVE.
so happened that a long discussion took place in my
lodging between him and a certain divine, wherein the *EI -visited the holy shrines of Kerbeli and Nejef
latter was signally worsted, though lie continued as long shortly after the death of H.Iji Seyyid KAzim, and learned
as possible to raise objections and demand further proofs, from his disciples that during the last two or three years
and was finally reduced to silence rather by necessity than of his life he had spoken in lecture-room and pulpit of
by a sense of justice. little else but the approaching advent of the promised
1 am now convinced that my friend is right, and that Proof, the signs of his appearance and their signification,
my book could serve no good purpose if I excluded from and the attributes by which he would be distinguished,
it all reasonings and arguments. Neither could these be declaring that he would be a youth of the race of 116shim,
kept apart from the historical portion of the work and set untaught in the learning of men. Sometimes he used to
down in order as they came up in the discussions between say, "I see him as the rising sun." During his last pil-
him and the divine, else would the book be unduly en- grimage to Surra-man-ra'a, while lie was returning thence
larged. In accordance with his wish I have therefore in- to Baghdad by way of Kdzimeyn, he was, entertained by
serted such of them as appeared most pertinent in the one of his friends and disciples, about a dozen others
course of my narrative. Furthermore, whenever I have being present. All of a sudden an Arab entered, and,
had occasion to mention that illustrious Seyyid', I have, still standin , said, "I have seen a vision touching your
,g
for several reasons, alluded to him in terms of the iitugiost Reverence." Permission to speak having been accorded
respect, making use of the titles used by his own followers. to him, he related his dream; whereupon Seyyid KAzim
For, in the first lace, the claim which lie advanced was appeared somewhat disturbed, and said, " This dream sig-
p
a great one, and lie was of an illustrious descent and a nifies that my departure from the world is near at hand."
Seyyid of the people; secondly lie suffered martyrdom by Hearing this, his friends were greatly troubled, but he
reason of his love for his nation and his attempts to ad- turned to them, saying, " Why are ye grieved and troubled
monish and regenerate them. And in Europe the name at my approaching death? Desire ye, not that I should
of such a man is not mentioned slightingly, but is ac- depart and that the Truth should appear?"
counted worthy of all lionour. EThis is the account which I have heard from Miji
Here follows what my learned friend narrated to me. 'Abdu'l-Muttalib of IsfahAn and HAjf SuleymAn KhAn',
I i.e. the PjaM
C. has, "Suleyma'n KhAn Afshir of SA'in-Kal'a," an evident
error, as Suleymin KhAn Afshir was one of the most determined





32
who were present on the occasion alluded to. The latter
THE NEW HISTORY.
further added, " Seyyid KAzini specially promised me that I
should myself participate in the new Manifestation, saying,
Thou shalt be there and shalt apprehend it."
EThat the late h Seyyid actually gave utterance to these
words, and announced these good tidings as above de-
scribed, is a matter of notoriety, and a thing universally
admitted amongst those who were intimate with him.
The fact, moreover, is further authenticated by several
letters from well-known persons to others who also be-
lieved in the new Manifestation'. - Indeed, some who
were present on the occasion above described are still
alive, and these adignit that they heard this announce-,
ment made by Seyyid KAzim.
EMul1A H-Useyn of Bushraweyli, a most eminent divine
who enjoyed great intimacy with Seyyid KAziin, urgently
besought him to enlighten them further as to the manner
in which the Manifestation would take place, but he only
replied,3 ' " More than this I am not permitted to say,
but from whatever quarter the Sun of Truth shall arise,
*[I visited the holy shrines of KerbelA and Nejef
shortly after the death of H6jf Seyyid K6zim, and learned
from his disciples that the late Sey.-yid had, a few days
before his journey to Surra-man-ra'a and death, said, "This
is the last time that I shall visit Surra-man-ra'a, for the
days of my sojourn in this world are ended, and it is time
for me to depart." His friends thereat displayed much
sorrow, but lie replied, "Grieve not, but rather be thankful
and rejoice, for after I am gone you shall be permitted to
behold the Promised ProoUT
a
h
w
w
persecutors of the BAbis. Haijf Suleymin Khan of Tabriz, the
son of Yabyi Kh-An, is without doubt intended. See my
Traveller's A'arrative, p. 239 and foot-note.
1 Cf. Traveller'sYarrative, p. 240, note 1.
DEATH OF SEYYID KkZIM.
33
it will illuminate all hearts which are receptive 'of Divine
Grace."
On his return from Surra-man-ra'a the venerated Seyyid
departed this life, even as he had foretold; and I, after a
while, repaired to the mosque of K-ftfa, and there abode for a
time engaged. in the performance of certain spiritual exercises
which I had undertaken. Here I saw MullA Huseyn of
Bushraweyh, Mulli 'Alf of Bistim, HAjf Mul1A Mu-
hammad 'Alf of Bdrfur6sh, AW 'Abdu'l-Jalfl the Turk,





Mimi 'Abdu'l-Hidf, MÕrzā Muhammad HAdf, AkA Seyyid
Huseyn of Yezd, Mul1A Hasan of NajistAn, MU114 Bashfr,
Mulli BAkir the Turk, and MullA Ahmad AbdAll, with
many other learned and devout men who bad retired into
seclusion to undergo as severe a spiritual discipline as can
well be imagined. On the completion of these exercises I
proceeded to visit Nejef, while the others departed each on
his own way.
Now as it has been said,
"Whate'er man seeks as surely he obtains,
If he but seek it with sufficient pains ;
God's shadow falls upon His servant's mind,
And he who striveth in the end shall fi I nd2,"
aso God did direct their steps in the path of search until
they came to ShfrAz. To Mulli Huseyn of Bushraweyli
I L. is corrupt here, interrupting the continuity of the narra-
tive with a verse of poetry bearing reference to Seyyid Ka'zim's
death, and omitting the list of names given above. Probably
the scribe intended to write them in afterwards with red ink, as
two lines are left blank.
2 Both these couplets are from the third book of the ffasnavi,
but they do not belong to the same context. The first will be
found at p. 229, 1. 13, and the second at p. 319, 1. 13 of the
Teherin edition of 'AIA'ud-Dawla.
N. H.
3





f  I
34 THE NEW HISTORY.
CONVERSION OF MULL~k I-IUSEYN. 35
was granted the happiness of first coming to His Supreme Then he opened the door. [It did not at the time, strike
me ]low strange it was that without havi he
Holiness, and he became " the first who believed'." ing seen me
The late H6jf MÕrzā JMif, one of the most respected of ashould know I was there.] When he *[had opened'the
the inhabitants of K6sh6n, who was remarkable for his self- 4loor]* he smiled and said, 'All day I have felt disinclined
devotion, virtue, and purity of heart, who had with his own to 90 to the caravansaray, and now I know that it was
eyes witnessed all the most important events of the Mani- because of your coming.2 So we entered the house and sat
festation, and who for his zeal finally siiffered martyrdom down, and after we had exchanged the customary enquiries
(whereof he foretold all the circumstances a-,oiigic while before liesaid, 'Do not you Sheykhfs believe that soine one must
take the place occupied by the late Seyyid KAzim? Five
their occurrence to certain of his acquaintance), wrote a inoiithas have now elapsed since his death. Whom do you
book describing the coiirase of events and setting forth argu- now recognize as you
ments in support of the faith. In this work lie recorded r Master? ' 'As yet,' I replied, 'we
have recognized no olle.2 'What manner of man,' as
all that lie was able to ascertain [from firast to last, by ked
diligent enquiries iigiost carefully conductedd about each of lie, 'must the Master be?' Thereupon I enumerated some
the chief disciples and believers. Concerning MullA Hu- of the requisite qualifications and characteristics. 'Do you
observe these in me?' he asked. Now during the two
seyn s conversion he writes as follows :-
" I igiiyself heard directly from MÕrzā 'Abdii'l-WallhAb of I months he abode at KerbelA I bad not observed in him any
KliurAa-,Aii, a inoast endlient' divine, the following narrative signs of special knowledge, and I knew that he had not
(f this event:- astudied in the colleges nor attended the lectures of any
I enquired' (said lie) 'of Mulli Iltiaseyii concerning teacher, so I anaswered, 'I see in you none of these quali-
the manner of his conversion. He replied, " After the tieas.' To this he replied nothing. After a while I observed
death of Seyyid KAziln I became afflicted with great per- aseveral books lying on a shelf. I picked up one of them,
turbation of mind, an'd, in the course of my iihieiital struggles, and found it to be a commentary on the Sfiratit'l-Bakaral.
went from KerbelA to Shfrdz in the hope of benefiting a After reading a little I perceived it to be a commentary of
palpitation of the heart from which I suffered. And since remarkable merit, and demanded in astonishment who the
the Seyyid 'Alf Muhammad had lionoured me with his author might be. 'A mere youthful beginner,' answered
friendship during a journey which we made. together to the he, 'who nevertheless lays claim to a high degree of know-
Holy Shrines <of KerbelA and Nejef>, I at once on reach- ledge and greatness.' I again asked who and where the
ing ShfrAz sought out his abode. As I approached the writer was. 'Thou seest him,' be replied; but I did not
door I desired inwardly to tarry there some few days. So at the time apprehend his meaning, and continued to read
I knocked at the door. *[Before he had opened it or seen *~had seen and recognized mej*
mej heard his voice exclaiming,'Is it you,MullAHuseyn?']*
*T.As it chanced he came to the door in persoii.j*
I See Traveller's ill"arrative, vol. ii, pp. 241, 250.
I See my Catalogue of 27 Betbi X88. in the J. R. A. S. for
1892, where the text of this passage is quoted in a description of
the work in question.
.3-2





36 THE NEW HISTORY.
on till I came to a passage where it was written, 'the expla-
nation of the inmost of the imnost.' This appeared to me to
be an error, and I remarked, 'Here it should be " the in-
most," and " the inmost of the i n9nost " is written.' I What
can I say?' he answered, 'the author of this Commentary
lays claim to more even than this of greatness and know-
ledge. Consider the passage attentively.' I did so, and
said, 'It is quite correct. But I am wearied. Do you read,
and I will listen.' He read for a time, and then, as men
are wont, I said, 'It is enough. Do not trouble yourself
further.' Towards evening tea was brought, and several
learned Sheykhis and merchants who had been informed of
my arrival came to see me. In the course of conversation
they, supported by MÕrzā'Alf Muhammad, made me promise
to deliver a lecture, and arranged to assemble on the morrow
in the IlkhAuf mosque to hear it. Next morning, agreeably
to this arrangement, they assembled in the mosque, whither
I also repaired. - When, however, 1 desired to -begin my dis-
course, I found that in place of the ready flow of language
and easy delivery generally at my command I was as
though tongue-tied and unable to speak. This filled me
with amazement, for I was persuaded that so unusual an
occurrence must be due to some unusual cause, and won-
dered much who it was that exercised this secret control
over me, and what might be his object. Such was the
astonishment and emotion which took possession of me that
I was obliged to make the best excuses I could for cutting
short my discourse. Thereupon the assembly broke up,
and I returned to my lodging deeply meditating. Next
day when I wished to preach precisely the same thing
happened, and so again a third time. On this last occasion
I came out from the mosque in a state of the utmost
misery and astonishment. Mfrzd 'Ali Muhammad said,
'Let the rest of our friends go to their own houses, and do
C.ONVERSION OF XULU HUSEYN, 37
you alone accompany me.) When we reached his house he
,said, 'By what sign canst thou recognize the Master, and
what proof dost thou deem most effectual to convince thee
that thou hast attained the object of thy search ? ' 1
answered, 'The possession of the Point f Knowledge, which
wisdom of past and
is the source and centre of all the 0
future prophets and saints.' 'Do you perceive this in me?'
he asked; 'How if I were so endowed?' 'That you are
devout, godly, and holy of life,' I answered, 'is true; but
only knowledge derived directly from God can admit to
this lofty rank.' At this he was silent for a while as
though in wonder, while I thought to myself, 'What idea
can this devout youth be harbouriDg in his mind that he so
persistently introduces this topic ? I must at all events





ask some question of him which he has never heard dis-
cussed and cannot answer, so that he may be turned aside
from his vain imaginings.' I therefore put to him a ques-
tion which appeared to me very difficult of solution, and
which had always been in my mind during the life-time of
the late Seyyid -<KAzim::-, though I had never found an
opportunity of propounding it in such wise as to have my
difficulties removed in a satisfactory manner. Without
hesitation he gave me a full and sufficient answer. I was
filled with amazement, and proceeded to propound to him
several other hard questions, each of which, to my utter
astonishment, be answered in the most conclusive way.
Yet withal I reflected within myself, 'Is not this he who
but a few days ago blundered over a sentence in the Com-
mentary on the 86ratu'I-Bakayw? How is it that he has
now become the source and well-spring of this divine
wisdom V Even as I thus thought, I looked up, and saw
him sitting in a most dignified and majestic attitude, the
left g hand laid on the left knee and the right hand over it;
and, even as I looked, he began to utter most wondrous





38
THE NEW HISTORY.
verses containing answers to every thought which passed through my mind7 until seventy or eighty verses had
been revealed. During all this time I waited anxiously for him to be silent, so strong was the fear and awe which
possessed me. At length he ceased, and 1, in the extreiiglity of terror, rose up to flee, as some delinquent might flee
from before a mighty king. But he withheld me, saying, 'Sit down! Whither goest thou? Anyone who should see thee
in thi.,; state would think thee niad.' So I was constrained to sit down as lie bade me, while lie withdrew to his private
room. During his absence I was a prey to most anxious thoughts. Care, for my worldly interests and fear of
incurring suffering alike urged me to draw back; and yet, ponder as I might, I could find no pretext whereby I might
excuse myself, neither did I perceive any course save confession and acceptance. So was I greatly perturbed, and
troubled beyond all measure. After some while Mimi 'Ali Muhaminad returned, and, contrary to his usual custom,
himself brought in the tea. Having set tea before me, he seated himself by iny side, and continued to behave
towards me most graciously. I remained, however, as one distraught, and presently again asked permission to
depart. 'Thou art still,' said lie, 'in a astate of extreme bewilderment, though thou art not thyself , aware of it. Should
anyone see thee thus he would assuredly deem thee mad.' A little while afterwards, however, he suffered me to
depart. On the occasion of another visit I saw a commentary which he had written on the Tradition of the
Handmaiden. Now the late Seyyid had been wont to say when lie was alive that the Proof who was to appear would
compose a full explanation of this tradition, and that sign I now
1 See Rieu's Catalogue of the Persian Manuscripts in the British Museum, Vol. i, p. 30, where ail outline of the story
here alluded to is given.
CONVERSION OF JENAB-I-I~UDD_6& 39
witnessed. Moreover one day, when I was alone with the late Seyyid in his library, I enquired the reason why the
Sfira-i-Yksuf was entitled in the Kur'an 'the Best of Stories,' to which he replied that it was not then the proper
occasion for explaining the reason. This incident remained concealed in my mind, neither had I mentioned it to
anyone. One day Mirza 'Alf Muhaihninad said to me, 'Dost thou recollect enquiring once of the late Seyyid why the
Sftra-i- Yksuf was called " the Best of Stories," and how lie replied that the proper occasion for explaining this had
not yet come ? The time for this explanation has now arrived.' Thereupon he shewed me a Commentary <on this &?-
a > of the most perfect lucidity and eloquence, [whereat I was utterly astounded, perceiving that my trained
intelligence was incompetent to grasp all the subtle mysteries and lofty ideas contained therein]." ' "
 The account given by 116ji MÕrzā Jinf of MullA
Ijuseyn's conversion is much more detailed than this, but
were 1 to repeat a tithe of what I have heard on the most
trustworthy evidence weak reason would fail to comprehend
it.  I
"Should I attempt to write or utter it,
The mind would stagger and the pen would split."
But Hijf Mulli Muhammad 'Alf of Bdrfurfish, a man of singular excellence, and noted for his piety and godliness, had
no sooner seen and conversed with the Bib than, because of the purity of his heart, he at once believed without
seeking further sign or proof; for " to demand a sign after attaining the thing signified is unseenily'." So, because lie
recognized the Proof by its very nature Twithout any further sign], he received the title of jenaib-i
1 Cf. Traveller's Yarrative, Vol. i, p. 12; Vol. ii, p. 9.





40 THE NEW HISTORY
ki~uddfis, and became the companion of His Holiness Oil the
journey to Mecca, and the possessor in a high degree of all
manner of miraculous powers and divine illuminations.
To be brief, other learned and eager seekers after truth
who were wandering amazed in the path of search were
drawn unwittingly to ShfrAz by the attraction of the True
Beloved, and there, each in a different way, were brought
to see and apprehend the Truth. Each of these, according
to the measure of his strength and his capacity, drank of
the wine of faith and wisdom; forgot all ties and obstacles,
and, indeed, his very being; rent asunder the veils of name,
fame, and worldly position; purified his heart from the
stain of apprehension; and, resolute in the pursuit of the
desired object, set off, each in a different direction, to
spread the good tidings of the Manifestation and to convey
the signs' of it to all. And, because of the love and fervour
which possessed them, they thought not of the enmity of
the stubborn, neither did they anticipate the opposition and
ands of the
rejection which they were to encounter at the h,
froward. So, briefly, the matter came to the ears of most
men, great and small; of whom some, believed, though the
more part turned aside, [while many set themselves to stir
up trouble].
At this time Mulli Huseyn [of Bushraweyh, who was
entitled Bdbu'1-B('(bJ set out for IsfahAn, where he fell in
with MullA Muliammad SAdik [generally known as the
saint] of KhurAsAn, a professor in that city, who, when he
had heard the matter, and considered the proofs and signs
thereof, believed. The circumstances of his conversion
(which I heard directly from himself) were thus told by His
Excellency the Saint of KhurAsAn :-
" When I had considered the clear signs and proofs set
i.e. the sacred writings, to which alone the Bib appealed in
proof of his divine mission. Cf. Gobineau, p. 158.
CONVERSION OF JENiB-1-MUKADDAS. 41,
before me, I could see no possible way of rejecting or,
denying them. For the Merciful Lord hath plainly said in
the Kur'ān that though all genii and men should combine
together they could not produce a sign like unto it'. and,
during these twelve hundred and sixty years which had
elapsed since that time, none, however skilled in rhetoric
and eloquence, had presumed even to make this attempt.
But these verses were incomparably superior to the KurAn
in point of eloquence and beauty, so that it was im,
possible to take exception to them or deny them. Never-
theless I remained overwhelmed with amazement, w onder-
ing how such verses could be poured forth like copious
showers by this simple and unlettered youth**. '0 God!'
I cried in my heart, 'in face of such ample proofs how ias





denial possible? Yet how can I confess and accept this
illiterate and uneducated young merchant as Bib and
Vim?' So for a while I subjected myself to a severe
discipline, keeping continual vigils during the night, -and
praying God for help and guidance; until one night, when
I had been engaged in prayer and self-abasement till near,
the morning, a little before dawn t~I came somewhat to
myself, and began to reproach myself, saying,lt 'Wherefore
these plaints and prayers, and this tarrying in the world of
form ? Why be blinded by the limitations of the common-
place, and kept back by the restrictions of the nominal ?
Is God's hand shortened, then, or is He unable to accomplish
His will? Is He not one who " doeth what He pleaseth
and ordaineth what He willeth?"' At this inward com-
*[whom in his childhood they had brought to me for
instruction, though he attended my class only one day.]*.
t [being wide awake, I plainly saw His Holiness appear
to me saying,]t
I Kur'ān, Xvii, 90.





42 THE NEW HISTORY.
muning I was overcome with fear; but when I came to
myself the veil was lifted, and I beheld within myself a
state of freedom and peace transcending description."
Now although I have myself with mine own eyes beheld
greater wonders than those above recorded, yet am I faiii
to excuse myself from relating or publishing them; for that
Gem of created essences <the B6,b> was in no wise eager
or desirous for the disclosure of asucli ocetirreiiceag, neither
did he seek to make known such evidences of power as
were manifested in him, since he regarded his nature as his
proof and his verses as his sign. [  So much was this the
case that MullA Mirzi Muhammad, one of the lgyiost eminent
of those divines giiid higlily-gifted men who hastened to
accept the new Manifestation, one who had, moreover,
himself witnessed the greater part of the occurrences con-
nected with it, and who was amongst the remnant who
escaped the sword at Sheykh Tabard, at the request of a
certain learned and eminent enquirer set down in writing
two thousand four hundred occurrences of a miraculouai
character which he had witnessed on the part of His
Holiness, and, during the siege of the Castle of Sheykh
Tabarsf, on the parth, of Je?u'tb-i-IC?tddU'S and his coiigipaiiioli,-~
and supporters. But when lie had completed this, lie
be-came aware that His Holiness in no wise regarded these
miracles, wonders, and -supernatural occurrences as a proof
of his mission, and did not desire them to be published;
wherefore he effaced what he had recorded in that precious
book, and refrained from publishing it. Somewhat of the
nobility of nature and eininence of this great man we shall
describe, if God so please, when we come to speak of the
learned doctors and emilient divines who entered into this
new dispensation.]
Let us return, however, to MullA Huseyn. of Busliraweyh
entitled J3dbu'1-B6b. In every part of the country which
THE BABN IN KkZANDAMkN.
lie visited lie made converts amongst inen of learning and
diaseeriiinent, until at length he reached KhurAsAn, where
also he guided many to the truth. The late HAjf Mfrzd.
JAnf writes ffin his bookJ as follows:_
" MullA Huseyn of Bushraweyh, who was entitled
Rdbu'I-Petib, set out from KhurAsAn [after lie had remained
there some while] with the intention of visiting His Holi-
ness the Supreme. So great was his devotion, and the
sense of unworthiness which possessed him, that he went
on foot to MAku' (where at that time His Holiness abode),
conducting himself everywhere on the way with caution
and prudence. After he had been honoured by admission
to the Blessed Presence, the BAb informed him of his
approaching martyrdom and the many cruel afflictions
which were impending, ordering him at the same time to





return to KhurAsAn, and adding, 'Go thither by way of
MAzandarin, for there the doctrine has not yet been rightly
preached.' So, agreeably to these instructions, he came to
Mizandar4n, and there joined Jentib_i-Kuddi~s. Such of
the faithful as were present at that meeting relate that on
the first day of his arrival Jen6b-i-Ba'bu'1-Bdb sat, as
befitted biA rank, in the place of honour, while Jenaib-i-
Kuddfis took a lower place; for Jena'b-i-Ba'bu'1-_B4b was
unrivalled in excellence and learning, while Jendb-i-Kuddgs
appeared to possess no special inerit or distinction, save
that he had accompanied His Holiness the Supreme on the
pilgrimage to Mecca. But on the following morning they
beheld Jena'b-i-KuddAs seated on the chief seat, and MOIA
Huseyn standing humbly and reverentially before him.
Until that time the virtues and extent of spiritual know-
ledge possessed by the former bad been suspected by none,
but during that night such evidences of hidden wisdom
and knowledge of divine mysteries had been witnessed in
him by Je?z(ib-i-.B6btt'l-hB(ib that on the morrow he was
43-





44
THE NEW HISTORY.
fain to stand humbly before one who had neither studied
deeply, nor, to all outward appearance, attained any very
high degree of excellence. Be this as it may, they relate
that in a single night Jenaib-i-Kudd,~s wrote a sublime
commentary of some three thousand verses on the words
"God the Eternal'," and that in a brief space of time
nearly thirty thousand verses of learned discourses, homiliea,~,
and supplications proceeded from him 2. "
To return, however, to our narrative. After a while
Jeiia'b-i-B6bu'1-B('tb set out for KliurAsAn, and shortly after
this the faithful were lionoured with an Epistle from the
Fountain-head of the Faith, bidding them, in case it
should be possible, to proceed to KliurAsdn. In the letter
addressed to MÕrzā Ahinad of Azkaiid, one of the chief
disciples of the late Seyyid, the impending catastrophe of
MAzandarAn was made known. So Jena'b-i-Kuddfis, ac-
companied by several of the faithful, set out towards
KhurisAn, but after a while turned back into MAzandarAn.
On arriving there, he despatched a letter to Jenaib-i-Baibu-
'I-Ba'b announcing the news of his approaching [death,
along with seventy believers 1, as well as the circum-
stances of his own] martyrdom, and bidding him depart
out of KhurAsAn. Jenab-i-Bdbu'1-Ba'b, on receiving this
letter (which is known as " the Eternal Witness"), came
out from that holy sanctuary with a number of his com-
panions, and set out for MAzandarAn. On reaching Mi-
yAmf, these were further reinforced by a band of about
thirty believers. The leader of these was a devout and
saintly old man named MullA Zeyiiu'l-'Abidfn, a disciple of
I Kur'ān, exii, 2.
2 Concerning the writings of Jenib-i-Kudduls, seo Traveller's
vol. ii, p. 30, n. 1; and J. R. A. S. for 1892, p. 485 et
seq.
3 Cf. Traveller's hzVa2,2,ative, vol. ii, p. 308.
THE 1411fS IN MUANDAffikN. 45
the late Slieykh Alimad AhsA'f. So great was his devotion
and the ardour of his affection that he had said to his re-
cently-wedded son, a lad eighteen years of age, "Come with
me, 0 my ason, for this journey is to the Hereafter, and I
iniagine for thee a right goodly marriage." And every-
ivliere this white-bearded old manwent On foot.
Now when had reached the con-
fines of MAzandarAn, lie began to tarry on the way, and
even when he advanced it was but a parasang or half a
paraagang a day. His companioiias enquired of him whether
lie was expecting aught that he thus loitered and lingered,
to which lie replied that they would soon know the reason.
After some days the news of the decease of His Majesty
Muliammad ShAh arrived, whereupon Je2z6b-i-B6bW1-Bdb





recommenced his march, saying, "It was this news which I
w,as awaiting." They were at that time at Arfm, one of
the villages of Sawdd-Kfih, for which latter place they at
once set out, - and there performed the daily prayers in-
cumbent on them. Now it was the custom of Jen(&i-
_B(ibu'1-B6b to preach to the faithful twice a day, exhorting
them to remember God, to purify their.hearts, and to hold
themselves aloof ftom the world. So he ascended into the
pulpit, and, after delivering a homily containing many ex-
hortations, counsels, and disparagements of this transito
world, thus addressed them
" Vnn I
_J
W, peop e, that, according to the dictates of
asound reason, it is impossible to conibine things essentially
opposed, and that therefore the pursuit of worldly pros-
perity is incompatible with the Perfecting of religious life, and
that the amassing of wealth is antagonistic to the working
out of faith. For, from the very creation of the world
until now, such as were guided by Divine Grace and fitted
by their natural dispositions for the search after true
wisdom and the attempt to perfect themselves in faith and





i
46
THE NEW HISTORY.
service, if they did not at the first step close their eyes to
wealth, wife and child, nay, life itself, could in no wise take
a second step in advance. Thus it is that, in every past
age down to the present time, until the prophets, the saints,
and the elect had themselves crossed over the Bridge' of
attachment to this Old Inn'; displayed, along with their
companions and followers, the utmost constancy and stead-
fastness in supporting all manner of sharp afflictions and
grievous trials ; and advanced with eager steps towards
martyrdom, they did not succeed in delivering their be-
nighted people froiihi the abyss of error and the snare of
unbelief, or in guiding them into the city of assurance and
the haven of faith. For this it was that the Chief of
Martyrs', together with his suppffters an(l adherents,
stood so firm in that plain of self-sacrifice', and bore active
witness to the truth, for the guidance of mankind and the
establishment of the faith; whereby, long years after the
consummation of their martyrdom, the Law of the Prophet
'Whether the report of Mulla' Huseyn's address to his
followers here given be literally correct or no, it at least shews
an evident reflex of his Master's doctrines and phraseology. The
BAb distinctly taught that Heaven, Hell, the Questioning of the
Tomb, Hades (Barzakh), and the Bridge here alluded to,
were not to be understood in a material sense, as by the Muham-
madans, but metaphorically. This doctrine is elaborated in
detail in the second Vdhid of the Persian Beyin, whereof the
twelfth chapter, treating of "the Bridge," begins thus:-"What
has at all times been intended by I the Bridge' is the manifesta-
tion of God and His religion. Whosoever is steadfast is on the
Bridge of God, else is he not on the Bridge. " Cf. J. R. A. S.
(new series), vol. xxi, p. 930.
2 ie. the world, often likened to a caravansaray or inn where
the traveller sojourns but a few days.
3 ie. Huseyn b. 'Ali b. Abi TAlib, the third ImAm.
4 ie. the plain of Kerbeli.
I
_MULL.~ HUSEYN'S EXHORTATION. 47
ivaa,3 matured, and the ordinances of his hol y religion
established. And now we likewise, for the awakening of
our fellow-men, be they rich in virtues or beset with faults,-
intelligent or heedless, wise or simple ; for the removal of
the doubts and objections of the obdurate ; and for the
admonition of the careless and indifferent, are constrained '
by the good pleasure of the Beloved to bear witness by our
deeds to the truth of this new revelation, to prove our
sincerity by disregarding all earthly considerations, to
undergo sufferings transcending human imagination and
endurance, and to lay down dear life itself for the es-





tablishment of this great truth and the perfecting of the
proof to our perverse and benighted opponents. Know,
then, for a agiirety, that oihice arrived in MAzandarAn all
paths of escape will be closed to us; that we shall without
doubt be slain with most grievous torments; and that the
land beyond BArfurfish shall be dyed with the blood of
these our comrades. Indeed our supreme-object in pressing
forward to the goal of this our journey of woe is naught
else than to bear witness to the truth and attain to the
lofty rank of martyrdom. Whosoever feelefh himaself able
to bear steadfastly, contentedly, nay, rapturously, this heavy
burden, let him remain; but if there be any who perceive
in themselves, be it even in the least deg ree, signas Of
weakness, they are enjoined to depart, for it is not meet
to lay on anyone more than lie can bear. Let these, then
(if such there be), bid a last farewell to their friends and
comrade,s, and turn back even from this place."
On hearing these words those faithful companions wept
much, and replied, " When we entered on this journey we
shut our eyeasa to all worldly considerations and earthly ties,
firinly resOlViDg not to shrink from laying down our lives."
And there were present in this assembly two hundred and
thirty persons, all distinguished for learning and virtue,





48
THE NEW HISTORY.
,nally of them being also 1110,11 of wealth and position. Of
these, two hundred unhesitatingly agreed to endure even
unto death. The other thirty, by reason of diverse im-
pediments, felt constrained to excuse themselves, and aa-,ked
permission to depart. And these turned back from that
place.
JThe reviser of this history says:-"Several persons
worthy of credence affirm that it was oil this occasion that
Jen('1tb-i-Ba'bu,'1-Bdb informed his companions of the im-
pending death of Muhammad ShAh, who was at that time
still alive; even as he had previously, while in the Most
Holy Land', made the same aDnouncement, along -,,vith
others bearing reference to the calamities and afflictions
which God had decreed to take place ill the Most I-Ioly
Land, to a certain great and eminent man of KhurisAn
who is now present.1 2
t'l
After this, Jen'b-i-Baibi -B6b and his remaining com-
panions mounted and proceeded towards BATfurAsh. But
when news of their advent reached the 8a'i'du'1,'U1a?na',
he, because of a former difference which lie had had with
Jendb-i-Kudd'a's, whose devoted friend he knew Jena'b-i-
Ba'bit'l-Ba'b to be, issued orders that they should not be
Suffered to approach the city. Je a'b (11
n -i-B'bu'1-Ba'b, who,
With sonic of his companions, was a little in advance of the
others, said to those who would oppose, their advance,
"Because of the King's death and the disturbed state of
the roads and highways we come to you as gueata3 seeking
shelter. In accordance with the tradition, , Honour the
guest even though lie be an infidel,' suffer us to abide.
for a few days in your land of safety, and seek not to injure,
I ie. Almh-had, the place of Martyrdom and burial of the
IMAM Rizi.
2 This paragraph, -wbich occurs only in C., is evidently all
addition to the original text. (~f p. 45, supra.
ENCOUNTER IN MkRFURNII.
49'
us. For according to no creed is it lawful and right to
molest strangers, or to spurn such as come seeking protec-
tion." Yet, notwithstanding the arguments thus advanced,
and the efforts made to induce a kindlier feeling, these
pretended followers of the Prophet of God, instigated by
their clergy in general and the Sa'fdu'1-'U1ama' in par-
ticular, refused to be turned from their purpose;
rather in face of this gentleness and forbearance they waxed
yet more insolent, and grew bolder in their attempts on the
life and property of the strangers.
So Jena'b-i-Ba'bu'1-Ba'b, determined to complete the





proof, and, if possible, to avert strife, submitted and turned
back, while these devout and godly professors of the holy
religion of IsUm continued to follow them, till at length
one fellow, more insolent than the rest', discharged his
musket. Now A'kA Seyyid Ri;,A, a mail eminent for his
piety and virtue, was wont, by reason of the ardour of his
devotion, to walk -everywhere by the stirrup of Jendb-i%
Bdibu'l-Baib; and he, thus running by his leader's side,
received that fatal shot, and forthwith gave up the ghost.
And so, in like manner, were two others amongst the
faithful slain.
Then Jena'b-i-Ba'bu1-Bab turned himself about, saying,
"Now have they made it our duty to protect ourselves;"'
grasped the hilt -of his sword; and, acquiescing in that
which the providence of God had ordained, began to defend
himself. Notwithstanding his slender and fragile frame
and trembling hand, such was his valour and prowess on
that day that whosoever had eyes to discern the truth
could clearly see that such strength and courage could only
be from God, being beyond human capacity,
I L. reads 8hakhsi khabbdzi, Cc a certain fellow who was a
baker," instead of shakhsijabbdri which is C.'s reading.
N. H.
4





50 THE NEW HISTORY. THE FATAL AZkN.
bfs, obediently to their leader's command,
So the BA
began to defend themselves and to wage battle until they
came to the city. One of their opponents fired a shot
which did not take effect, and Jem'tb-i-B6bu'1-Brtb made
as though he would punish the attempt, but iievertbelesas
spared the offender because of his entreaties. The action
was, however, again repeated; the foolish wretch fired a
charge of shot full at Jma'b-i-Bdbu'1-B6b's face, and
inflicted on him a serioglis injury. At this the latter was
filled with wrath, and rushed upon his antagonist, who
took shelter behind a tree, striving to guard himself with
the barrel of his musket. So JeW'tb-i-Bdbu'1-Brtb, perceiv-
ing that with the right hand he could not reach him,- smote
Iiinhi with his sword a left-handed blow beneath the arm-pit
and clave him in twain. After this he pushed on to the
door of the 8d'i'dit'l-'Uhun(c's house; but, though he could
easily have entered it (for most of the combatants, on
beholding the last blow- dealt by him, had taken to flight
or hidden themselves, while such as remained kept crying
out afar off in terror for their lives), lie refrained for several
reasons from doing so, in order that this inan and his deeds
illight remain oil the page of time as a warning to such as
are endowed with discernment. So lie spoke him fair, and
turned back thence to the Herb Market, iii which is a
caravansaray wherein they took up their quarters. Again
tile townspeople attacked them, surrounding the caravan-
saray and striving to set fire to it, until at length some of
the faithful sallied forth and put them to flight.
Now when these were come back, Je2i4b-i-B6bu'1-Bdb
said, "Let one aniong you (To up and sound the call to
prayer." So one went up, but ere lie had uttered more
than a few words lie was stricken down by a bullet. Then
Jeiia'b-i-B4bu'1-Brtb said, "The call to prayer must be
completed." Another went up, but, before he had finished,
lie too was shot. Forthwith a third went up, and completed
the remainder of the call, but, even as he did so, he also fell
a martyr, and was united to his comrades who had preceded
him. The object of Jena'b-i-Bdbu'1-Baib in thus insisting
on the completion of the call was, as it would appear, to
make apparent to those benighted people the steadfastness
,and self-devotion of himself and his companions in pro-
claiming the word of God, and to demonstrate conclusively
to all mankind the absence of all piety, mercy, and true
religion in those pretended Muslims.
Although in this age there are but few who are im-
partial or disposed to believe, those of the time to come will
meditate on these events diligently and without prejudice,
and these will distinguish the oppressed from the oppressor,
the wise from the foolish, and the true from the false. It





is related that [four hundred, or, according to another
tradition] seventy doctors and divines of repute signed the
warrant authorizing the murder of the- Chief of Martyrs'
and declaring him a heretic. But now, after the lapse of a
thousand years, they admit their wrong-doing, and vainly
beat their breasts and heads in mourning for that broken
troth and the desertion of that holy one whom they left
alone in the plain of KerbelA, crying goiit continually, " 0
would that we had been with you! " Yet withal, because
of their heedlessness and blind prejudice, they continue
to act towards the saints of this dispensation, and even
towards the Proof foretold to this ignorantly-expectant
people, in such wise as hath happened in no former age,
and with a cruelty and injustice never heretofore witnessed.
And, on the other hand, there hath never been any people
so patient under the most cruel wrongs, or of like forti-
tude under afflictions so grievohlis. Every sound under-
standing must admit that men so reasonable and so learned
Huseyn b. 'Ali b. Abf Tailib, the third InAm.
4-2





52
THE NEW HISTORY.
would not thus cast the coin of life into the crucible of
tribulation, or plunge their wives and children into the
abyss of woe, unless they had first seen visibly before them
that which they sought, and experienced within themselves
a peace and power from God.
"When saints behold the Hour of Union nigh
Then seemeth it to them most sweet to die;
Ken those magicians, stirred with gratitude
To Moses, passed with rapture to the rood'."
To return, however, to our narrative. The Sa'idu'l-
'Ulama' gathered together from all quarters a great multi-
tude, who laid siege to the caravansaray, so that for the
space of five or six days there was strife and battle. At
the end of this time 'Abbds-Kulf KhAn of LAr1jdn entered
BArfurftsh, and, having heard what had taken place on
either side, sent his son-in-law to wait upon Jena&i-
'I a
Ba'bu -B'b with a message to this effect:-" Although the
people of this place have acted wrongly and foolishly in not
observing the respect due to you, who came unto them as
1 See Kur'a'n, sAra vii (pp. 115-117 in Sale's translation).
According to the Muhammadan account, the magicians sum-
moned by Pharaoh to oppose Moses were so overcome by
witnessing the true miracles wrought by him that they fell on
their faces crying, " We believe in the Lord of all creatures, the
Lord of Moses and Aaron." Thereat was Pharaoh very wroth,
and said, " Have ye believed on Him ere I have given you
permission so to do 7 Verily this is a plot which ye have
contrived in the city, that ye may drive out thence the inha-
bitants thereof. But ye shall know for a surety <that I am
your master, for> I will cause your hands and your feet to be
cut off on opposite sides, then will I cause you all to be crucified."
They answered, " We shall assuredly return unto our Lord; for
thou takest vengeance on us only because we have believed in
the signs of our Lord when they came unto us. 0 Lord, pour
on us patience, and cause us to die Muslims.'
a
TREACHERY OF KHUSRAW.
53,
a,trangers seeking lioa,3pitality, and in further seeking to do
you injury, yet since, owing to the death of His Majesty
the late King, the public order is disturbed, it is desirable,
especially having regard to the fact that blood has been
shed between you, that you should depart out of this city."
To this message Jenirtb-i-Baibtel-Baib thus replied:~
"On condition that they suffer us to depart without harm,
we have no objection to go. If you will promise that no
fresh attempt shall be made to cause bloodshed and provoke
strife, we will not refuse to withdraw." To this the chief





pledged himself, and sent his son-in-law' Sa'idat-Kulf Beg
to bear them company till they should reach a place of
safety. Their antagonists, however, conspired with a cer-
tain Khusraw of KAdd-kalA, a matchless and notorious
scoundrel, to follow and treacherously rob and murder
them in a certain part of the forest. So Khusraw of Kddd-
kali, taking with him a hundred horsemen, rode off with
~the SardAr's son-in-lawl Sa'Adat-Kulf Beg. When they
had proceeded a short distance *~'AbbAs-Kulf KhAn's son-
in-lawJ* took leave of them and turned back, while
Kbusraw continued to accompany thein till he came near
to bis owif home, to a place hard by the Tomb of Sheykh
Tabarsf'. When they were come there, some of the faithful
* [Sa'Adat-Kulf Beg] %
L. adds "and," thus making Sa'idat-Kulf Beg a different
person from the chief's son-in-law. According to Subh-i-Ezel,
Salidat-Kulf Beg was himself a B6bf. He had a young daughter
whom he used occasionally to dress in boy's clothes.
2 The Tomb of Sheykh Tabarsf lies to the south of the road
leading from Birfurilsh to Sirf, some twelve or fifteen miles S.E.
of the former town. I visited it on September 26th, 1888, in the
company of a very intelligent tradesman of BArfuHish. Yet,
though he was intimately acquainted with the country, so intri-
cate are the paths leading to it, and so uncertain the state of the





54
THE NEW HISTORY.
observed to Jena'b-i-Ba'bu'1-B(ib that it was the time for
[the noon-tidel prayer, whereupon lie alighted to pray.
Khusraw, seeing his opportunity, approached Iiiligi, saying,
'.'We wish to turn back; give us a present." So, in-ac-
cordance, with the instructions of Jenab-i-Ba&t'1-Ba'b, they
gave him a sum of one hundred tu'viains in money, besides
other articles. He then demanded Jen6b-i-Ba'bu'1-Ba'b's
horse and sword, but the latter replied, "Make not thia%
request, for these were given to me by a certain holy maD,
and I cannot part with them to anyone." "If you will not
give them up," returned Kliusraw, " I am authorized [b3,
the clergy] to kill you; your [lives and] possessions are
lawful to us." As he continued to speak after this un-
seemly fashion, MÕrzā Muhammad Takf [of Juveyn] caught
hold of his hand and drew him back a few paces, gently
remonstrating with him, and even offering to add to the
sum of money which lie had already received if lie would
but refrain from molesting Jendb-i-.Ba'bu'1-B(,ib. Remon-
strances and offers, however, proved equally unavailing ;
and MirzA Muliammad Takf, having completed the proof,
and being reduced to despair, with a blow of his dagger
freed mankind from Kliiisraw'as malice. On secing their
leader fall, the others took to flight, but, their village being
near at hand, soon returned with a great multitude, over-
took the BAbis in a narrow path, and prepared to attack
and plunder them. So Je?za'b-i-Ba'bu'1-Ba'b, seeing that in
that forest-path there was neither room to pass nor to fight,
commanded his companions to abandon their baggage and
retreat. In obedience to his command, therefore, they
quagmires and marshes which must be traversed to reach the
forest on the edge of which it lies, that we were continually
obliged to ask the road and to change our course wherever the
swampy rice-fields proved impassable. Altogether, a worse ride
of three hours I never saw.
OCCUPATION OF SHEYKII TABARSf. 55
0
I
I
I--
retired into the tomb of Sheykh Tabarsf. When, they
reached it, he said to them, "Here shall we attain our
object, and here also will the purpose of the froward and
unrighteous be fulfilled." And in passing this spot on his
way to BArfurfish he had similarly said, "In this place will
the blood of God's soldiers and saints be slied, and many
a pure spirit shall be quenched in dust and gore." And
most of his congipanions knew what lie intended to signify. - -
After this several mounted men were sent to collect the
baggage, and they gathered it together and brought it in.





Then Je2za'b-i-Ba'bu'1-B(tb said, "If ye be united in spirit,
it is contrary to the dictates of self-devotion and single-
heartedness to make any distinction in these perishable
possessions during the few brief days for which a respite
may be granted to you. Forsake, then, all such distinc-
tions, and, for this short while, share what ye have in
common." So they appointed a steward and a cook; and
at breakfast and supper they sat round like brethren, one
plate containing a uniform portion being placed before
every two of them. Thus did they live happily together
in content and gladness, free from all grief and care, as
though resignation and contentment formed a part of their
very nature.
For about twenty days and nights did they thus tran-
quilly await the fulfilinent of divine destiny, but during all
this time the continuous rain suffered none to leave his
house. When the weather cleared, the comrades of Khusraw
of Kld&kall, banding themselves together, surrounded the
Castle with a great host of horsemen and footmen, deter-
mined to slied the blood of its inmates. When news of
this was brought to Je?za'b-i-Ba'bu'1-Bdb most of his fol-
lowers were without the fortress. But he said, "Let none
of those who are without the castle stir from their places,
and let those who are within go forth and sit down out-





56
THE NEW HISTORY.
side boldly and unflinchiDgly." And all obeyed his com-
mand.
What ensued is thus related by one worthy of credence
who was of the remnant spared by the sword in -the
Castle:-
" We, as we had been commanded, were sitting round
about outside the Castle, while our foes came so near us
that their bullets and shots passed by our cheeks and
whistled round about and beside us. Inwardly we were
somewhat disquieted, but Jeiia'b-i-B4bu'1-B6b came up to
us and said, 'Fear not; but if ye be indeed fightiDg for
God, if ye be content with His good pleasure, ready to
endure affliction and martyrdom, and freed from all worldly
ties, then stand firm even where you are, and bow your
heads in submission. If so be that God's will requireth
your martyrdom, then great is your honour and happiness!
But if God purposeth not that you should be slain, then
none of these successive shots will effect your death ; and
this will be but one amongst the countless manifestations
of His Power and Grace. If, therefore, anyone, in whatever
position he may be, should so much as move his head to
avoid a passing bullet, or should inwardly desire that the
bullet should pass by him, he hath failed to attain to a
state of true spiritual peace and contentment, is an un-
faithful and wavering servant, and advanceth a vain boast.'
"Such was the effect of these words that our hearts
became filled with strength, and so ready were we to lay
down our lives that without flinching we joyfully exposed
our breasts to the fire of the malignants. The enemy's
horsemen galloped round about us in great numbers, but,
though they fired many shots at close quarters, uone of us
suffered any injury, and it almost seemed as though their
erring bullets were testifying to the error of their ways.
"After a little while Jen6b-i-Ba'ba'1-Ba'b came forth
I


    




i
ARRIVAL OF JENSB-I-KUDDtS.
5T
from the Castle, picked up several small pebbles, and- cast,
them towards the enemy, saying, 'This is what David.', did:
to the troops of Goliath 21 ; whereupon, in 'the course.of a
few minutes, all were dispersed and incontinently fled.'? g : ~
To proceed. Soon after this occurrence Jenaib-i-,Kudd6s
arrived at the Castle with a number of his,companions.g
[The writer of these pages, being actuated by no wish
to produce an elegant literary work, but only desiring to
set down a true, faithful, and correct account of, these
matters, has become assured, after the most careful investi-
gation, that what the late HAjf MÕrzā JAW has ~written
concerning the events of this Manifestation is in accord-
ance with truth and actual fact, and is the outcome 1. of
careful and discriminating enquiry. He has, therefore, for
the better informing of his readers and their fuller assur-
ance, succeeded, with the assistance of a distinguished and
noble Seyyid, who is also eminent in literary attainments,-
in obtaining a copy of this work.] Of-the detailed7 account
of these transactions *[there given]* the following is - -an
epitome of what is most material. ~ When Jendb-i-Kuddfits
had arrived at the Castle of SheykhTabarsi and interviewed
those wh6 already occupied it, he proceeded to determine
the extent and limits of the fortress, and ordered a wall to
be built about it. He likewise commanded all such as were
1written by the late HAjf MÕrzā Anf I*
C. reads Jdnftb and L. Jalfit (Goliath). The first is a mere
copyist?s error, and the second an evident mistake. I have sub-'
stituted Dd'ftd (David), which the sense of the passage obviously
requires. Allusion is made to the transaction here referred to in
Kur'ān ii, 252. A full account of it, according to the Muham-
madan tradition, is given in Book i
other Muhammadan histories.
of the Rawzatu's-&fd and in
2 C. and L. both read Talfit (Saul) instead of Jdlfzt (Goliath),
an error which I have not hesitated to correct.





58 THE NEW HISTORY.
NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE MkBfS.' 59
skilled in any craft to exercise that craft for God's glory in
Muhammad Beg, the captain, with 300 marksmen, set out
as perfect a manner as was possible, to the end that their
in haste to subdue and destroy the Castle, and, on their
brethren might be profited thereby. So the mason busied
arrival there, began to throw up earthworks and to dig a
himself with building, the tailor with tailoring, and the trench.]* But on the other side, as a measure of defence,
sword-maker with the manufacture of swords. The number
a body of men marched out, attacked the entrenchment,
of those amongst them who were craftsmen and artisans routed the enemy, and, without losing even one of their
was but small; but what was intended by this command
own men, slew a hundred and thirty of their antagonists.
was that all should profit by the results of one anotlier'sg
And Jena'b-i-Kudd4s had announced that in this fight none
gifts and talents. Wherefore in like manner such as were of them were fated to fall.
divines and men of learning busied themselves in searching
When this news reached Teherin) Prince Mahdi-Kulf
out divine mysteries and expounding philosophic truths, MirzA was appointed to the government of MAzaildardn *with
whereby those who lacked learning and scholarship were
commands to put down the BābÕs, and 'AbbAs-Kulf KhAn
enabled to partake in the advantages which these confer,
of LArfjAn received instructions to hel and s  rt the
and to advance towards perfectiolgi, learning to base their p uppo
Prince. So the latter, with two or three thousand soldiers,
faith on grounds of reason, and not on inere imitation or advanced to within two parasangs of the Castle of Sheykh
blind devotion. Tabarsf, and halted at Dih-i-BAz-h to await the arrival of
The news of the construction of the fortress was soon the remainder of the royal troops with 'AbbAs-Kulf KhAn.
spread abroad in every direction. It was at this time the During tliia-, period of inactivity the Prince *-addressed a
beginning of the reign of His Imperial Majesty NAsiru'd- letter to Jen6b-i-A'udd6s, demanding what his real aim
Din ShAh KAJAr (may God perpetuate his rule)', and to his
might be, and whether lie was fighting for religious or
court did the Sa'idu'l-'Ulamd forward a petition, in re- political objects, and calling upon Iiiilgi in any case to
sponse to the demands and lying assertions of which orders
for the annihilation of the BābÕs were issued to the chief abaudon'liis present attitude.
In reply to this letter, Jen ib-i-KudAs wrote nearly as
local authorities. *[A~A 'Abdu'llAh, the brother of HAJf follows:-"We are exceedingly adverse to enmity and
Mu*tafA KhAii, with a body of skilled marksmen and ex- If discord, much more to actual strife and warfare, especially
with His Majesty the King. Only those who dream of
perienced soldiers; MÕrzā AkA, the secretary, with a host
of Kurdish, Turkish, and Afghan horsemen from SAri; and lordship and dominion deliberately seek war with established
authority, not such as these, who, foredoomed to destrue-
TSo there came to war with them a great host, who tion in this narrow eDCIOSUre, have nobly and devotedly
entrenched themselves in a village hard by the Castle of cast from them such power, authority, and lordship as they
Sheykh Tabarsf and made preparations for battle.J* formerly possessed, abandoning worldly success and su-
L. inserts " corresponding to the year ", the date being premacy to such as seek after these things. For we, agree-
left blaigik. The coronation of NAsiru'd-gDfn SbAh took place on ably to the duty incumbent on the doctors of 1slAm, who
Zfl-Ka'da 22nd, A.H. 1264 (Oct. 20th, A.D. 1848). pretend tohavebeen expecting the Master's coming for





60
THE NEW HISTORY.
twelve hundred and sixty years, and who continually pray
'May God hasten his glad advent,' have announced the
appearance of that promised Proof and declared his signs ;
and we maintain that you should not, like most of the
doctors of former ages (who, through their blind adhesion
to vain superstitions, remained shut off from the blessing
of recognizing the Prophet of their time, whereby the com-
mon people also were held back, doubting and expecting,
in the desert of error), continue to await in darkness the
accomplished Manifestation, as do the diverse sects of Hin-
doos, Zoroastrians, Jews and Christians. Of these, some
were indifferent, some mocked, some fell to chiding or
cursing, while others again set themselves to fight and
oppose the new truth, and, without investigation or en-
quiry, denounced as infidels and doomed to death the
innocent objects of their cruel hatred. And now, by their
misrepresentations, they have induced His Majesty the
King to send forth his hosts to battle, thus bringing eternal
disgrace on this Royal house. Had they been indeed
seekers after God and desirous of distinguishing truth from
falsehood, they should at least, when this matter first be-
came apparent, have made it their business to enquire into
it, and ought not to have rested for a moment until they
had seen and questioned the Master, and verified or dis-
proved his claim, so -that they might be in a position to
direct the rest of mankind without war and bloodshed.
But now the government, refusing to give the matter due
consideration, has imprisoned that Day-spring of Divinity
in the remotest borders of its territory, and has carried
war and slaughter against a mere handful of its subjects
who have renounced the world and all that therein is.
Hereby it has exposed itself to the reprobation of all
nations and eo les who will say, 'Bigotry and injustice
have come to such a pass that guns and muskets have
.F r )
LETTER OF KUDDfJS TO THE PRINCE. 61 .
become the arbitrators between truth and falsehood.' : Can
gunners and soldiers distinguish right and wrong?.' This
is the work of learned. divines, on whom devolves the duty
of enquiring into the matter. If differences can be re-
moved by reasonable discussion and argument, well and
good. If not, then let us invoke God's curse on whomso--
ever is in error, leaving to Him the decision. Or, if this
content thein not, let us kindle a fire' and enter in to the
midst thereof, that the truth or falsehood of either side
may be made apparent without the shedding of blood or
the slaughter of God's servants. And should they agree
to none of these alternatives, we for our part have no
quarrel with any one, being strangers, who have suffered





much in this wilderness, and are the objects of causeless
persecution. Suffer us then to depart, that we may with
all speed quit this land and pass to the holy shrines of
Kerbel& and Nejef. But if you encompass us on all sides
and suffer us not to depart, and if ye be indeed bent on
the slaughter of innocent folk, then have we no choice but
to defend ourselves and to prove the sincerity of our belief
by laying down our lives as martyrs to our cause.. But do
not thou, '0 noble Prince, take part in bringing about this
bloodshed. Misrepresentations have made His Majesty
the King hostile to us without cause, else by counsel and
fair dealing could our differences be removed without the
unsheathing of a single sword or the utterance of a single
unkind word. Even Pharaoh, notwithstanding his claim to
divinity, his exceeding greatness and power, and his con-
viction that Moses was but what he seemed-the son of
one of his own slaves, and a self-confessed murderer fleeing
from justice-still ostensibly acted towards him with justice
1 The ordeal by fire would seem to have been long known to
the Persians, for we find an account of it in the Episode of
SiyAvush iii the SAdlindvid (ed. VUllers, vol. ii, pp. 550-3).





62
THE NEW HISTORY.
and fairness. For he summoned Moses before him, spoke
with him at length, heard what he had to say, and de-
manded a sign. Moses answered, 'The rod and the white
hand are my signs.' 'These,' said Pharaoh, 'are but a
juggle'; but he was met with the answer, 'Produce the
like thereof if ye speak truly'.' To this, notwithstanding
all his power and despotic authority, Pharaoh raised no
objection, but, at great expense, asseiigibled about a thou-
sand magicians from all parts of the country in order that
a like sign might by wrought by them. So in like manner
did HAru'nu'r-Rash1d, whom our divines regard as accursed
and an unbeliever, assemble nearly four hundred learned
doctors to answer Hasaniyya the handmaiden' and to test
the truth of her assertions. How different is the case now,
when, though more than three hundred eminent and gifted
divines confidently assert the truth of this new doctrine,
these people, who profess to have been expecting this Mani-
festation for twelve hundred and sixty years, are at no
pains to enquire into this matter with a view to arriving at
the truth, and so preventing a powerful governnient from
being led by the wilful misrepresentations of prejudiced
persons from carrying battle and slaughter against a mere
handful of its subjects. According to the Law they regard
the testimony of two just witnesses as sufficient, even where
life is involved : wherefore, then, do they refuse to accept
the testimony of three hundred men who are not only just,
but, for the most part, learned, discreet, self-devoted, and
ready to lay down their lives at God's bidding? If they
declare these to be in error and delusion, we reply that
it is most improbable that three hundred learned men
possessed of such means for forming a correct judgment
should fall into such an error, seeing that each one of
I Cf. Kur'in, ii, 21 ; x, 39; xi, 16; Iii, 34.
2 See note I at the foot of p. 38, supra.
LETTER OF KUDDtfS TO THE PRINCE. 63
them attained the goal in view with intinite pains and after-
enduring countless privations and hardships. Only when
a thousand difficulties, whereof the solution was a thousand
times harder than the Cleaving of the Moon', had been
resolved, did they suffer their doubts, which formed a
rampart more stubborn than the Wall of Alexander, to be
surmounted; neither did their pride of learning and priestly
arrogance permit them to bow their heads in humble sub-
mission until they had been convinced by irrefragable
proofs of the plenary authority bestowed from on high on
that Well-spring of divine wisdom. Yet do men foolishly
imagine that they lightly and easily relinquished their
supremacy, and chose without reason such utter self-aban-
donment, . little thinking what hesitation, diffidence, fear,





and anxiety each of them experienced ere he became fully
assured of the truth  Again, if it be asserted that
they embraced this doctrine in the hope of securing to
themselves authority and lordship, this is an evident
calumny, credible only to such -as regard learning merely
as a means for the acquisition of the perishable wealth and
worthless consideration of the world. These things which
they already enjoyed, yea, the very hope of life, they freely
forsook for the good pleasure of the Beloved and the
awakening of benighted souls. Their very deeds bear
witness to the purity of their motives, for, in so dire a pass,
even the most faithful are in grievous peril, and the elect
quake and tremble in fear of stumbling.
Cast away thy sword and buckler, make thy life thy shield
instead;
Only he can head the van who feareth not to lose his head.']"
Now when the Prince had perused this letter, guile
entered into his heart, and he wrote in reply as follows:-
What you have written accords with truth and sound
I One of the miracles ascribed to Muhammad. g





64 THE NEW HISTORY.
i ARREST OF BEH,~ AND MfRZk JkNf.  65
reason. 1 will convene the clergy for the consideration of
the claims advanced on either side, and will endeavour to
arrive at a true decision in this matter." His real object,
however, was only to gain time till his reinforcements
should arrive and he should be in a position to make a
night attack upon the fortress; and meanwhile he, arrested
all such as he knew to be well disposed towards the Bib or
believers in the BeyAn, displaying in his treatment of them
no lack of cruelty and harslineass. Amongst these was
MullA Yiisuf of Ardabfl, who, in company with another,
was proceeding to the Castle. These they arrested and
imprisoned in the camp, About the same time that this
misfortune occurred, the late HiJf Mfrz.4 JAW, the chro-
nicler of these events, together with Muhammad Taki
KhAn of Nldr and several others, arrived in the neighbour-
hood in company with His Holiness BehA' (the lives of all
beside him be his sacrifice), the mystery of whose real
nature was still hidden within the veils of the divine Wis-
dom, and desired to proceed to the Castle of - Sheykh
Tabarsf. The late HAjf MÕrzā JAnf writes, " We repeat-
edly urged him' to proceed, and to let us bear him com-
pany, but he replied, 'If we go, they will not suffer us to
reach the Castle ; for this is unattainable, and the matter
is otherwise predestined."' At length, however, he yielded
I This passage is very important, as it shews not only that
the author of this history wrote after MÕrzā Huseyn 'Alf
Belid'016A had advanced his claim to supremacy, but also
that he recognized the validity of this claim. That he dreiv
his inspiration from BehA'f sources is also shewn by the fact
that he makes but one doubtful reference to Mfrz6 Yahvi Subh-
i-Eizel, who, whatever view be taken of his position, certainly
played a part in BābÕ history too important to be ignored by
any disinterested historian.
2 i.e. Behi'u'IlAh.
N. H.
to the entreaties of his devoted companions. Of the
sums of money which others have mentioned, they had
with them in all not less than four thousand tuma'ns
in cash, besides other goods and chattels. When they had
come within two parasaDgs of Sheykh Tabarsf, they were
observed and seized by the royalist troops, who stripped
them and bore them to the camp, intending to put them
to death. As, however, Behi. belonged to a distinguished
family of Mdzandardn, certain of the royalist officers ac-
corded him their protection and sent him to Bdrfurfish,
where he suffered such afflictions as the pen is ashamed to
pourtray. As to HAjf Mfrzd J.Anf, two merchants of KAshin,
who had a claim on certain of the officers, received him as
the equivalent of four hundred tfimains which were owing





to them, and set him at liberty. [When he was setting out
from Teherdn, some of his friends had strongly dissuaded
him from going, but he replied in answer to their remon-
strances, " I shall suffer martyrdom in Teherdn, and though
on this journey I shall be taken captive, I shall be released.
Yet that I may have no cause for shame in not going, and
that I may to the full accomplish my endeavour, I will go.
Better he who boldly fronts the desert is than he in languid
ease who lies;
I at least am free to make the effort, even though I fail to
win the prize."']
Now inasmuch as Jendb-i-Kuddiis had, in the address
known as the " Eternal Witness , made known the circum.
stances of his own and his companions' martyrdom in the
plainest manner, and knowledge of this had reached most of
the brethren whether far or near, who were firmly persuaded
of the truth of his foreshadowings, these no sooner learned
how he and his followers were hemmed in by so great a belea-
guering force in the Castle of Sheykh Tabarsf than they knew
I See p. 44 supra.
5





66 THE NEW HISTORY. I DESTRUCTION OF ROYALIST QUARTERS.  67
for a surety that in a little while that devoted band would them) they rejoiced, thinking that it was'Abb&s-Kulf KhAn
to a man fall before the guns of the foe, and stain the earth arriving with re-inforcements. But when they came to the
with their life-blood. In spite of this knowledge, however, i magazine they set fire to it, and then surrounded the
they eagerly set out from the most distant provinces to Prince's quarters. Then cries and shouts arose from the
share the martyrdom of those already assembled in that soldiers on all sides, and the fire of battle blazed high.
fatal spot. I know not what these people had seen or The royalist troops, unable to withstand the attack, were
apprehended that they thus readily cast aside all that men utterly routed and took to flight, while the followers of
do most prize, and thus eagerly hastened to imperil their a its
Jen -b-i-Kitdd' continued to fight with the utmost courage,
lives. Surel their conduct was such as to leave no roorn and succeeded in releasing such of their companions as were
y
for doubt of their sincerity and devotion in any unprejwli- confined in the camp, besides setting fire to the Prince's
diced mind; and in truth what they did and suffered was qhliarters. Prince Sult6n Huseyn Mfrz&, a son of the late
little short of miraculous, being beyond mere human king Fath-'Alf ShAh, Prince DVid MÕrzā, son of gthe late
capacity. In thein was exemplified the blessed verse, Zillu's-sultAn, and MÕrzā 'Abdu'l-Bdkf, not being quick
'Desire death then if ye be sincere',' while through their enough to effect their escape, were burned to death in the
steadfastness the words, 'Those who strive in the way of fierce conflagration; but Prince Mahdf-Kulf Mirzd, being
God with their possessions and persons, these are highest swift and cunning in flight, boldly leaped from the high
in rank before God, and these are they who shall be happy2,1 roof and hid himself in the forest.
gained a new lustre  The BābÕs of MAzandardn, about ahundred and twenty,-
So Jeita'b-z*-Kitddgit,~, being well aware of the Prince's in number, Nvboase leader was Aki Rasfill, together with
real intentions, and perceiving that his design was nothing some others, began to spoil and plunder. Thereupon Jenaib-
else than to gain time till his re-inforcements should arrive i-Kuddits called out to them, " 0 brethren, do not disgrace
and he should be able to make a niaht attack, repeated the
ZD your cause'by associating it with rapine!" But the weak
blessed verse, 'They devised stratagems, and God devised brethren of MAzandardn, seeing a clear field and abundant
stratagems, and God is the best deviser of stratagems',' spoil, paid no heed to the commands of their leader, and
and issued orders that three hundred men should that night continued plundering till dawn began to brighten the sky.
bold themselves in readiness for battle. And when these Now some tllouasand of the royalist soldiers had hidden
were ready, Jenaib-i-K4tdd1'ts mounted his horse, and Jenaib-i-
themselves in the defile of a mountain hard by, and when
Beibit'I-Beib rode forth by his side, and all set out towarda-, these perceived that tghe BAbis were but few in number, and
the camp. that, In addition to this, many of them were scattered
Now when those who were in the royalist camp saw abroad or laden with booty, they took courage, surrounded-
' Kur'ān, ii, 88; 1xii, 66. them, and opened fire. Je2za'b-i-B6bu'1-Ba'b attacked them
2 kur'An, ix, 20. The x,crse is not, however, quoted quite
accurately. I C. adds LS.~p - The title is hardly legible in L., but seems
3 Kur'AD, iii, 47. to read
.5-2





68 THE NEW HISTORY. DEATH OF MULLI HUSEYN. 69
with drawn sword, and was pressing thein hard, when sud-
denly a bullet was fired which struck J_Mdb-i-Kt1ddU'$ in
the mouth, knocking out several of his teeth, and shattering
one side of his face. When Je?i4.b-i-Bdbu7-Bab witnessed
this catastrophe, he began to fight even as Huseyn fought at
KerbelA, and to mete out to the enemy the recompense of
what they had done. The late 116ji MÕrzā JAW writes that
in that onslaught he dismissed nearly three hundred from
their evil courses to the place whereunto they belonged'.
The rest, unable to witbstand him, fled and bid themselves,
while Jenrtb-i~B6bu'1-B4b halted till all his comrades were
collected together, and then set out on his return to the
Castle.
Now in spite of the success achieved by the 136bfs, two
misfortunes had befallen them. Firstly, three of the be-
lievers had been slain; of which the reason was that Tewltb-
i-Kudd~ks had given permission to three hundred only to
take part in the enterprise, and these three, had gone in
excess of the number so ordained. Secondly, some of the
weaker brethren had engaged in plundering and straggled
from the main body, thus delaying the return ; and their
transgression had been visited on Jena&i-Kuddiis, for
" the kindred bear the blood-wit." Jena'b-i-Ba'bu'1-BU'b
was deeply distressed at this sad misfortune, and seemed
overcome with shame in the presence of his chief ; for
.fena'b-i-ICuddits was unable to eat solid food, and for three
months tasted nothing, except now and then a little tea or
broth. And this was a most marvellous thing, yea, almost
a miracle ; for during these three months he neither lost
colour nor wasted away, nor was any impairment of bodily
strength perceptible in him, nor any sign of pain or un-
easiness.
i.e. Hell.
When news of the Prince's defeat reached the Sartip
'AbbAs-Kulf KhAii, he assembled his troops and joined him
in BArfurdsh, whence they set out together with a large force
for the Castle of Sheykh Tabarsf. On their arrival they
began to entrench themselves, and sometimes at night they
would make a sudden attack on the Castle. But Jendb-i-
Kuddi~s used to warn the garrison in advance, saying,
1: To-nigbt these pretended watchers for the advent of the
ImAm Mahdf intend to attack us, therefore let nineteen
men be ready to repel them." The royalists, imagining that
their antagonists had no knowledge of their plans, sought
by all manner of devices to capture the fortress ; but on
each occasion they were routed at the outskirts of the
Castle and driven back in shame and confusion by these
nineteen men.
After the war had continued for some time, Jenaib-i-
B6bu'1-Ba'b said to Jenrtb-i-Kuddfis, " I can no longer





bear to look upon the wound which mars your glorious
visage. Suffer me, I pray you, to lay down my life this
night, that I may be delivered alike from my shame and
my anxiety." So Jenaib-i-Kuddits asuffered him to go, and
bade the faithful bear him company.
Now it was the custom of Je?za'b-i-Ba'bu'1-Ba'b to go
forth to fight in this wise : he himself, followed by several
other mounted men, would ride in advance, while-the rest
of his companions followed on foot. If it was at night-
time, they would put on felt caps, gird their swords to their
belts, and, with bare feet and arms uncovered to the elbow,
rush upon the very centre of the hostile army with cries of
Yd 86hibit 'z-zama'n'V' Then, with swords worth not
more tiian five krans, which they had wrought for them-
selves within their castle, they would cut down men whos . e
gear had cost a thousand tftmdns.
I it 0 Lord of the age ! "





70
THE NEW HISTORY.
So Je?za'b-i-B6bu'1-B6b and his companions advanced
calngily upon the enemy in tliias fashion, and quitted them-
selves that night like gnieii of valour. Though their
opponents were more than seven thousand strong, within
one hour they captured seven of their entrenchments.
When 'Abbis-Kulf KhAn saw this, he disguised himself
in change of raiment, quitted the camp with two of his
retainers, and concealed himself in the shelter of a hillock,
or, according to another account, in a hollow tree. Now
since the night was very dark, and rain was falling heavily,
the Bdbfs, fearing to injure one another, had set fire to the
wood which had been a,3tackod in the camp (or, as others
relate, to the bundles of reeds which were there), that they
inight have light enough to distinguish friends from foeas.
They had also hung white shawls across their shoulders as
a token to serve for mutual recognition, and this rendered
them coiispiciiouas to 'Abbis-Kulf Khdn, who presently
caught signs of Jena'b-i-Bdbu'1-B('1b, and discharged_ a
bullet at him which struck him in the breast. He followed
up this shot with another, which also took effect.
Now Je?z6b-i-Ba'bie1-B6.b, knowing for a surety that he
would iihieet his death that night, had, in the very midst of
the conRict, said to one who was beside him, "Mount
behind me on my horse, and when I say, 'Bear me to the
Castle' turn back with all speed." So now, overcome with
faintness, he said, " Bear me to the Castle." Thereupon
his companion turned the liorse'a-, head and brought Iiingi
back to the entrance of the Castle; and there lie straight-
way yielded up his spirit to the Lord and Giver oflife. *
So they brought in his body and laid it before fendb-i-
Kudd,~s, who neither wept, nor lihiove(I from his place, nor
by any change of countenance betrayed his emotiou, but
only pointed to it with his staff, saying, " Leave it here,
and go dig a grave in such-and-such a spot." What
BURIAL OF MULLi HUSEYN.
71
followed is thus related by him who made ready the
grave:,-"Wllen the grave was completed, I advanced
to the curtain <which guarded the entrance of the chamber>-,
to request permission to enter, and to announce that the
grave was ready. As I did so, the low murmur of conver-
sation reached my ears. I softly raised a corner of the
curtain, and beheld Jendb-i-Kuddgs seated beside Jena'b-i-
Ba'bu'1-Bdb, from whose face the covering had been re-
moved, engaged in conversation with him. When I saw
this, fear overcame me, and I quaked with terror. Sud-
denly Jendb-i-Kitddiis said to me, 'Is the grave ready?'
I replied in the affirmative. 'Enter, then,' said he, 'and
take away the body.' So I entered the chamber, bore





away the body of Jen6b-i-B' 'tbu1-BU'b from before him,
and buried it with the raiment in which it was clad."
The royal troops had that night suffered a disgraceful
defeat, and were scattered in flight. Many of the BAbis,
too, had in the darkness and pouring rain missed the way to
the Castle and become separated from their comrades, but,
when the time for prayer came, these, guided by the sound
of the azain, found their way back thither. For it was
custom ary -w~ith the garrison of the Castle to keep vigil
during the last third of the night, to read and pray aloud
with fervent devotion until day-break, and to offer up
their petitions to the Just and Gracious Lord. Far other-
wise was it in the royalist camp, where wine-bibbing, foul
and licentious acts, dice-playing, and utter neglect of
spiritual exercises universally prevailed.
When these belated stragglers reached the Castle, and
were informed of the martyrdom of Jendib-i-Babu'l-Brib,
they became exceeding sorrowful. And when they com-
puted the number of those who had fallen by his side from
the beginning of the war until that night, there were
seventy, neither more nor less, exactly as Jendb-i-Kuddgs





THE NEW HISTORY.
had explicitly declared iii the sermon of the " Eternal
Witness'." But in the royalist camp more than four
hundred men perished that night, includiDg thirty-five
officers of distinction, and more than a thousand were
wounded, while the survivors had betaken themselves to
flight. So 'AbbAs-Kulf KhAn gathered up the corpses
of his officers, and retired to Amul to mourn their loss.
But when the Sa'fdu'l-'UlamA was informed of this, he
(fearing lest the BābÕs should enter BArfurAsh and mete out
to him the punishment which he deserved) was overcome
with trouble and consternation, and wrote several suc-
cessive letters to 'AbbAs-Kulf KhAn, saying, " I congratu-
late you on your courage and discretion, but how miicli to
be deplored it is that after you have been at such pains,
lost so many of your kinsmen, and gained at length so
signal a victory, you did not follow it up. You have made
a great multitude food for the sword, and have returned,
leaving only a few decrepit old men as survivors. Alas,
that., after all your efforts and perseverance, the Prince is
now prepared to march against the Castle and take captive
these few poor wretches, so that after all he will get the
credit of this signal victory, and will appropriate to himself
all the money and property of the vanquished! You must
make it your first and most important busineass to return
to the Castle ere lie has set -Out, for the government of
a province like MAzandarAn is not a thing to be trifled
with. Strive, then, to gain the entire credit of this
victory, and let your exertions accomplish what your zeal
has begun." He also wrote at great length to the clergy of
Amill, urgently exhorting them to use their best endeavours
to make the Sartip 'AbbAs-Kulf KhAn start at once without
further delay. So they continued to remind him incea3-
I See p. 44 supra.
AID OF THE CLERGY INVOKED.
73
santly that it was his duty to march with all speed against
the Castle; and the Sartfp, though he knew that what the
8a',Ra7-'U1ama' had written to him was utterly false and
baseless, was eager, if it should be possible, to make some
amends for what had passed, and so to clear himself iii
some measure of the disgrace which be had incurred in the
eyes of the LArijAnf women whose husbands lie had sacri-
ficed, and of the government. But inwardly he was con-
sumed with anxiety, fearing that, as in the previous
campaign, he inight fail to accomplish anything. Most of
his men, too, were wounded, while many had fled and
concealed themselves in the surrounding villages distant
four or five parasangs from the city. So, as a makeshift,
lie wrote to the clergy of Amu], saying, " If indeed this be
a religious war, you, who are such zealous champions of





the faith, and to whom men look for example, should take
the lead, and make the firast move, so that others may
follow you." The clergy, not being prepared with a suit-
able answer, and seeing no way of excusing themselves,
were obliged to send a message to the effect that the war
was a religious war. A great company of tradesmen, com-
mon people, and roughs was assembled, and these, with the
clergy ai-id students, set out, ostensibly for the accomplish-
inent of a religious duty, but really bent on plunder and
rapine. Most of these went to BArfurAsli and there joined
the advance of Prince Mahdf-Kulf MirzA, who, on reaching
a village distant one parasang from the Castle, sent a body
of his men to reconnoitre and collect information about the
movements of the BābÕ garrison.
But Jendb-i-Kuddiis was well aware of the circum-
stances just detailed, and said to his followers, " Go, and
set lip Oil posts the heads of such of our antagonists as
were slain, arranging them in regular order round the
ramparts of the Castle." So they did as he commanded.





74 THE NEW UISTORY.
And when the royal troopas, with the rabble who accom-
panied them, drew nigh to the Castle, and saw these heads,
with months gaping horribly and blackened faces, set up
on posts round the fortress, they were filled with inde-
scribable terror. And even as they stood gazing thus,
fifteen horsemen emerged from the Castle crying " Yd
jY4ibu 'z-zamahi'l " and scattered before tlieiigi the cavalry
of the enemy (though these were more than five hundred
strong), slaying not a few.
After this it became clear to the royal troops that they
could not carry the fortress by storm. They therefore
employed carpenters to construct scaling-ladders and bat-
tering-rams, which they carried to the Castle and erected
during the night. They also began to dig trenches, and
thus gradually advanced. Many came from the surround-
ing district to help theiigi ; ammunition and artillery began
to arrive daily from TeherAn ; and the garrison of the
Castle came forth but seldom, only firing occasional shot,-,
from the tops of their towers.
The reverend divineas, who with their pupils, had come
to take part in the holy war, were scarce able to sleep at
night for fear (though their quarters were in a place distant
two parasangs from the Castle), and continually in their
conversation would they roundly abuse the Prince and
'AbbAs-Kulf KhAn and curse-the 8a',&u'I-'UIam6t; "For,"
said they, " these have, without sufficient reason, taken us
away from our studies, our discussions, and the earning of
our livelihood, besides bringing us into dire peril ; since to
fight with men like these, who have renounced the world,
and carry their lives in their hands, is to incur great risk."
So the holy verse " Cast not yourselves into peril with
your own hands " " became their daily utterance. One said,
I " 0 Lord of the age? " Cf. p. 69 mpra.
2 Kur'ān, ii, 191.
COLLAPSE OF THE JlffikD.
75
" Certain circumstances exonerate me from the duty 'of
taking part in this war at present." Another [adducing
thirty different pretexts] said, " I am lawfully excused and
am compelled to turn back." A third said, " I have little
children dependent on me ; what can. I do? " A fourth
said, " I have made no provision for my wife, so I must go,
but, should it be necessary, I will return again." A fifth
asaid, " My accounts with certain persons are not yet
settled; should I fall a martyr, my wealth will be wasted,
and an injustice will be done to my wife and children; and
both waste and injustice are condemned as repugnant to
our holy religion and displeasing to God." A sixth said,
"I owe money -to certain persons, and have none to acquit
me of my debt. Should I fall, my debt will not allow me





to cross the Bridge of ' ". A seventh said, " I came
away without the knowledge of my mother, and she had
said to me, 'Should'st thou go, I will make the milk where-
with I nourished thee unlawful to thee.' I fear therefore
that I may be cast off as undutiful by my mother." An
eighth wept, saying, " I have made a vow to visit KerbelA
this year; one circumambulation of the holy sepulchre of
ttie Chief of Martyrs' is equivalent in merit to a hundred-
thousand martyrdoms or a thousand pilgrimages to Mecca.
I fear to fail in the fulfilment of my vow, and so to be
disappointed of this great blessing." Others said, " We,
for our part, have neither seen in these people, nor heard
of them, aught which sheweth them to be unbelievers, for
they also say 'There is no god but God, Muhammad is the
Apostle of God, and 'Alf is the Friend of God.' At most,
they maintain that the advent of the Inidni Malidf has
1 The narrow bridge " finer than a hair and sharper than a
sword" which, as the Aluhaningladans believe, all must traverse
to reach paradise.
2 Huseyn b. 'Alf b. Abf Tilib, the third InAni.





76
THE NEW HISTORY.
all events they are no
tal~en place, Let them be ; for at ,
worse than the Sunnis, who reject the twelve Inikins and
the fourteen immaculate saints, ~recognize such an one
as 'Uiigiar as caliph, prefer 'Othindn to 'Alf ibn Abf TAlib,
and accept AbU' Bekr as the successor of our holy Prophet~-
Why should our divines leave those alone, and fight with
these about matters whereof the rights and wrougs have
not been properly determined ? "
In a,,Iiort, throughout the camp inurligiurs arose from
every tongue, and complaints from every i-nouth; each one
sung a different tune and devised a different pretext ; and
all awaited but some plausible excuse to betake tilejUSelVeaS
to flight, So when 'AbbAs-Kulf KhAn perceived this to be
the case, lie, fearing lest the contagion of their terror might
spread to his soldiers, was forced to accept the excuses of
these reverend divines and their disciples and followers,
who forthwith departed, rejoicing greatly, and uttering
prayers for the Sartfp's success. Men of discernment can
easily appraise the faith and understanding of persons like
these, who came to join in a holy war at the coiiiigiiand of
'AbbAs-KhLilf KhAn and turned back from it by his per-
mission, not having sense enough to see that the wise
would deride their conduct, saying, " If, agreeably to God's
command, it was a religious duty to fight with these
people, then the clergy should have taken the lead; in
which case, why did they not from the first undertake this
duty ? And when, impelled by the zeal of 'AbbAs-Kuli
KhAn, and at his command, they had entered upon the
war, what occasion had they for turning back without
striking a blow? If, on the other hand, it had not yet
been sliewn that the BābÕs were hifidels, and if war with
them were a thing displeasing to God, then why did they
not strive to restrain 'AbbAs-Kulf Khin iihistead of sub-
mitting to his opinion?" In a word, they went forth to
CORRUPTNESS OF THE CLERGY.
77
light actuated solely by their passions, and turned back
by reason of their own selfish motives. By this all may
judge of the rest of their actions, for whosoever is endowed
with discernment will perceive that all their words and
deeds were prompted by self-interest, and that their conduct
was wholly at variance with right. They regard knowledge
but as a means of obtaining power and winning men's
esteem; they barter religion for gold and silver; and they
.study the Law but to demand 'restitution of wrongs','
'ImAm's money',' and 'thirds" of the property left by
persons dying, or to obtain bribes in lawsuits and presents
for pronouncing decisions contrary to what God hath re-





vealed. TThus do they amass wealth without the trouble
of engaging in commerce or agricultureJ
Ill If every sinner got drunk with sin as the toper does with
wine,
How ~iany a sin would stand revealed which we scarcely now
divine! "]
Now after tglie martyrdom of Jena'b-i-Ba'bu'1-Ba'b,
Jendb-i-Kudd,hs made it his chief object to prepare, his
companions for death and departure from the world, and
to set in, order the means for their deliverance from earth
and ascent to the realms of true existence, desiring that the
period of strife and suffering might be shortened, and that
they might the sooner escape from the prison of the body,
and rest in the presence of the Beloved. For they had no
I When a Persian Shi'ite dies, it is customary to give a
certain proportion of the wealth he leaves behind him to the
clergy, to be expended on pious and charitable objects, and thus
to atone for the wrongs which the deceased during his life-time
may have done to his fellow-men. This is called radd-i-niazd1im
('restitution of wrongs').
2 See Querry's Droit Husulman, Vol. ii, pp. 327-362 pas8hn.
3 Ibid.) Vol. i, p. 633,  178, and p. 162,  210.





78 THE NEW HISTORY.
other object in placing their lives in jeopardy than to
publish the news of the Manifestation, proclaim the word
of God, complete the proof, and convey the summons to
all peoples of the world ; so that all such as were. open
to receive the truth at that time or in after ages might,
according to the degree of their fitness, become enquirers
or believers. When, therefore, they knew that the faine
of their deeds and doctrine had beeii asiifficieiitly uoised
abroad and had reached the ken of all nations and peoples,
then, their sole object being accoiigiplislied, they made haste
to lay down their lives and depart to the invisible and
eternal world. Thus Je?i(tb-i-Yitddgits, coming forth one
(lay from the room wherein lie dwelt, saw lying a quantity
of rice in the liusk'. Thereupon lie said to his coligipanioil,,~,
" We came hither to sliew forth 6'rod's truth, not to live
gluttonously. If the aini in view were to maintain in
luxury these perishable bodies, had you not in your own
homes all inaliner of delicate foods ? Why then did ye
forsake these to come hither? But if ye came to die, then
you need not fodder and provisiolia,~." To this his coin-
panions replied, " Whatever your orders may be, we are
ready to obey them." Then a,~ai(i lie, " Give the rice to
the horses and sheep and cattle for them to eat it." For
they had over two hundred horses, forty or fifty milch-
cows, and three or four limidred sheep, most of which had
been given to them by the people of Mizaiidar4n, who,
as iigiany as believ6d, brought with them to the Castle of
what they possessed. So the BAbis, eager to obey the
commands of Jendtb-i-A.-udd~ts, took no pains to husband
their resources, so that in a little while their provisions
were exliatiasted; while, inasmuch as the eneiny had sur-
I Shalthk, i.e. rice not yet separated froni the husk. In Hin-
dAstinif it is called shdill, and by Anglo-hidians " paddy."
0
CAPTURE OF MULLA SA'fl).
79 1
rounded the Castle on all sides, they could not go forth to
p
procure fresh asupplies.
Once, indeed, some few of them did go out to try to
obtain a little tea [aDd sugar] for Jenaib-i-Kuddiis. The
most notable of these was Mulhi Sa'fd of ZarkanAd. Now
lie was a man so accomplished in science that when certain
learned men of the kindred of 1ITMfrzd~* Muhammad Takf
of Nlir addressed to Jendb-i-Kuddi'ts in writin(y certain
questions touching the sciences of divination and astrology,
the latter said to MullA Sa'f d, "Do you speedily write for
them a brief and compendious reply, that their messenger
be not kept waiting, and a more detailed answer shall be
written subsequently." So MullA Sa'id, though hurried





by the presence of the messenger, and distracted by the
turmoil of the siege, rapidly penned a most eloquent ad-
dress, wherein, while replying to the questions asked, he
introduced nearly a hundred well-authenticated traditions
bearing on the truth of the new Manifestation of the
I)romiased Proof, besides several which foreshadowed the
halting of those who had believed in the Lord about Tabarsf,
and their martyrdom. The learned men of N-hr were
amazed bbyond all measure at his erudition, and -said,
"Candour compels us to admit that such presentation of
these matters is a great miracle, and that such erudition
and-eloquence are far beyond the Mullk Sa'fd- whom ~we_
knew. Assuredly this talent hath been bestowed on him
from on high, and he in turn hath made it manifest to us."
Now MullA Sa'fd and his companions, while they were
without the Castle, fell into the hands of the royalAroops,
and were by them carried before the Prince. The Prince
strove by every means to extract from them some inform-
ation about the state of the BābÕ garrison, their numbers,
* [MLIIIA] *





THE NEW HISTORY.
and the amount of their munitions; but do what he would
lie could gain nothing. So, when he perceived Mulli
Sa'fd to be a man of talent and understanding, he said to
him, "Repent, and I will release you and not suffer you
to be slain." To this MullA Sa'id replied, "Never did
anyone repent of obedience to God's command, why then
should I ? Rather do you repent, who are acting contrary
to His good pleasure, and more evilly than anyone hath
heretofore done." And he spoke much more after the
same fashion. So at length they sent him to S6rf in chains
and fetters, and there slew him, with circumstances of the
utmost cruelty, along with his companions, who appear to
have been five in number.
We have, however, wandered from our subject, which
was the scarcity of provisions from which the garrison of
the Castle began to suffer. When their stores were ex-
hausted, and they began to suffer the hardships of priva-
tion, they represented to Jenaib-i-Kuddis that the horses
were perishing of hunger. So he ordered them to drive
out from the Castle such as, were lean, and to slay and eat
such as were fat, seeing that this was now become lawful
to them'. One can readily imagine how grievous and how
distasteful the eating of horse-flesh must have seemed to
persons habituated to such luxuries as Russian sugar,
Austrian tea', and fine aromatic rice. Yet they ate sub-
missively and with contentment so much as was needful to
sustain life, bowing patiently, yea, thankfully, before the
Divine decree. Now there were in the Castle from olden
time the remains of a bath, which the BābÕs had endea-
I See Querry's Droit Ifusulman, vol. ii, p. 230,  10, and
1). 242,  100.
2 "White tea" (clidy-i-safid) and "Austrian tea" (chdy-i-
Naras~') are the nanies given in Persia to the finest variety of the
leaf
i
DEARTH OF FOOD IN THE CASTLE. 81
I
I
f
voured to repair. One day Jena"b-i-Kuddiis, as 'he came
forth from this bath, saw some of his companions roasting
and eating horse-flesh. "Let me see," said he, "-what
this food, which the Beloved hath apportioned to us, is
like." Then he took a little and sucked it in his mouth,
and presently remarked that the meat was very pleasant
to the taste, and sweet in savour. After this, horse-flesh
seemed to the taste of all so sweet and so palatable that
they were filled with astonishment, saying, " lt is as
though our food savoured of paradise, for never have we
tasted meat so delicious."





Now when the horse-flesh came to an end they began
to subsist on vegetables, until even the grass and the leaves
of the trees within the fortreas were all consumed,so that, as
some have related, they ate even the leather off their saddles'.
Grass became harder to find than the Philosopher's Stoile,
and if they sought to gather it outside the Castle, they
were at once exposed to the fire of the enemy. They there-
fore ceased to attempt to leave their fortress, and abastaiiie(I
from food, so that for nineteen days they took no sus-
tenance (save that morning and evening they drank each
a cup of'warm water), drawing their strength from their
converse with Jendb-i-Kuddi~s. And as his aim. was to
liaasten the impending catastrophe, so did the strength of
the faithful wane daily on every side, while that of their
foes ever waxed greater. Thus the latter constructed four
towers on the four sides of the Castle, and raised them so
high that they were able to command the interior of the
fortress with their guns, and to make the garrison targets
for their bullets. Then the faithful, seeing this, began to
dig subterranean passages and to retreat thither. But the
ground of MAzalidarAn lies near the water and is saturated
1 The saddles used by the Persians are chiefly composed of
wood.
N. H.
6





82
THE NEW HISTORY.
with moisture, added to which rain fell eontinually, in-
creasing the damage, so that these poor sufferers dwelt
amidst mud and water till their garments rotted away with
danip, and a voice from the Unseen seemed to proclaim
to each,
"Clothe thy body with the garb of nakedness
Z3
Ere the cloak of death shall fall upon tby frame;
So renounce the thinos of earth that at illy death
0
Ken the slgtroud upon thy corpse may seem a shame."
So their bellies clave to their back-bones, as though to
say, " Ye are coiigic near to the spirit-world ; be ye there-
fore like unto the angels; " their bodies became like skele-
tons, reminding them that-
"There they asee]4: for wasted frLigiies and know the worth of
,vearied hearts;"
their clieelias grew pallid as amber, telling them that the
si,(Pis of a, faithful lover are a heart filled with woe, bitter
and a sallow complexion. They were read to bre
y ast
the steep ascent to martyrdom and blis~s; they liogvere(I like
inoths round the cannon-balls and bullets, which they
hailed as a means of deliverance; they rushed towards im-
111(lation with in impetuosity which imagination can asearce
conceive.-They weiigic(l weary of life and of their bodicas,
'til(gl met the afflictions which continually be set them with
the cry of "Is there more'?" Whenever one of their com-
rades quaffed the draught of martyrdom before their eyes,
instead of grieving they rejoiced. Thus, for instance, oil
one occasion a bomb-shell fell oil the roof of a hut, which
caught fire. Sheykll SAlili of ShfrAz went to extinguish
the fire. A bullet struck his head and shattered his skull.
Even as they were raising his corpse a second bullet carried
away the hand of Akd Mirzi Muliamillad 'Alf, the son of
I Kur'in, 1, 29.
I
~1
LAST DAYS OF THE SIEGE.
83
Seyyid Ahmad, who was the father of -AkaA Seyyid Huseyn
the beloved." So, too, was Ak6 Seyyid Huseyn "the be-
loved," a child tell years of age, slain before his father's
eyes, and he fell rolling in mud and gore with limbs quiver-
ing like those of a half-killed bird. His father heaved a deep
sigh and said, " May thy filial piety find acceptance! " Oil
another day a bomb-shell fell on the wooden roof of the hut
occupied by J'en6b-i-lCuddiis. MullA Muhammad SAdik,
who was better known as Hukaddas-i-K1iur6sa'ni', involun-





tarily sprang up, crying, " 0 my master, quit thy place 1 "
But the other answered composedly, " If the Beloved of all
worlds desires that. we should fall by a bullet, then why
should we flee, our object being gained? But if He desire
it not, then a,41iftll we assuredly not be slain; wherefore then
should we move?" Jeita'b-i-fflitkadd-as-i-IClittra'sa'2zz'usecI to
declare that forthwith the projectile rose up from the ground
and burst in the air, and this notwitlistanding the fact that
boinb-shells commonly enter the ground where they fall,
and then leap back and burst.
So every day the final catastrophe drew nearer, and ever
the royalist troops devised some fresh plan for capturing
the Castle.' Amongst other devices, they had some while
before dug a mine under one of the towers, charged it with
powder, fired it, and destroyed the tower; but during the
following night the garrison, at the command of their-illus-
t~rious chief, rebuilt it, and completed it ere dawn.~ g Now
again in these last days they made a mine under one of the
walls of the Castle, placed therein a cauldron full of powder,
and fired it, thus destroying the wall. Jendib-i-Kudd,(ts,
being informed of this, said, "Do not rebuild it, for when
we bade you repair the breach in the tower we had need of
it for other six months, but now we need these things no
longer. Let two marksmen sit there; so shall none be
able to approach or enter in."
6-2





84 THE NEW HISTORY. i CAPITULATION OF THE CASTLE.  85
The first attempt of the enemy to storm the fortress able to escape from their hands, while the rest, overcome
was made on the covered way'. As soon as they ap- with panic, could neither fight nor flee.
proached the Castle in force, fifteen Tmountedl men land That night the chiefs of the besieging army met in
fivel on foot sallied forth and, attacked them. Many of the council. "We cannot," said they, "carry the Castle by
soldiers were slain, and amongst them fell the SardAr 'Ab- storm; every attempt to do so results only in defeat, dis-
du'llAb KhAn. Of the defenders only two were killed. grace, and useless loss of life." Even Suleymin Kh.An
The attacking force retired in despair, while the garrison AfshAr, a man wise in council and skilled in war, who had
collected the bodies of their slain, and carried them into been sent from TeherAn to take the Castle at all hazards,
the Castle. The disastrous result of the attack on the gave up in despair, and retired to 'Alf-Abdd with the in-
covered way was openly admitted in the royalist camp, but tention of returning Ito the capital]. The Prince and
nevertheless, seeing that the garrison did not repair the 'Abbds-Kulf KhAn also declared in the despatches which
breach in the walls, they again prepared to make an at- they forwarded to the King that in spite of the most
tempt to carry the Castle by storiigi. It was arranged by strenuous efforts the troops could gain no advantage, and
the royalist leaders that there should be five standards, that it appeared certain that there was but little chance of
and that to him who should first asi-icceed in planting one of their obtaining a victory. So the Prince, despairing of
them on the Castle wall should be awarded a sum of five effectino, a-Light by force, again resorted to a stratagem, and
hundred Wmains, to the second four hundred, and to each wrote to Jendb-i-Kuddiis as follows :-" Seek not to inflict
subsequent one a hundred him6ns less, by which arrange- further hurt on tfie MusulmAns. For nine months have
ment the bearer of the last standard would receive one both sides been engaged in hostilities without any truce or
hundred tAmains. They then disposed the artillery, mar- respite. We now consent to abandon all thought of war,
shalled out seven thousand regulars, horse and foot, and and, for the sake of peace, to agree to what terms you may
boldly began the advance. When they were come near to propose.)1,
the Castle, the first standard-bearer succeeded in planting When Jendb-i-Kuddiis had read this letter, he said,
his standard ou the ramparts, but a bullet struck his foot "Although he meditates treachery, and designs to shed the
and he fell. He bravely regained his feet ' but a second blood of these innocent people, yet, since his designs accord
shot struck him in the breast, and he fell down headlong with destiny, and since we desire but to die and escape
with his standard. The defenders of the Castle, hungry from this transitory world, we will even suffer his schemes
and barefooted as they were, hurled themselves upon the to prevail." Therefore he wrote in reply, " If you will-
enemy sword in hand, and displayed that day a courage guarantee our safety and let us pass without molestation,
and heroism which the world had never before seen, and we will depart out of your land and go into another
which must appear to such as consider it little asliort of country."
miraculous. So fiercely did they drive back that mighty The Prince, on receiving this letter, rejoiced exceed-
lioast that many even of the bravest and boldest were un- ingly, and both he and 'Abbis-Kulf KhAn swore on the
KkdV-i-sal(Miat. ]~Cur'Aii to respect the terms of the treaty, which contained





86
THE NEW HISTORY.
the following clause :-"To whatsoever place ye desire to
go, none shall let or hinder you in any way." Moreover
the Prince [sent a horse, and] expressed a great wish to
meet Jendb-i-Kudd,(ts, who, out of respect for the Kur'Aii
on which the oaths were sworn, agreed to the proposals
made, saying, "Although his object is evident '[and his
treachery clear to our ininds (for lie has made the Word of
God the instrument of his guile, and will in no wise abide
by the Kur'ān, or his word, oath, treaty, and covenant) yet
we would rather lose our lives than fail in respect for God's
Word, and will therefore accede to his invitation, and, of
our own free will, tread submissively this path of agony."]*
So the horse was sent for Jen(tb-i-Kuddi~s, and lie
mounted it, and came forth with such of his men, a-, still
survived, two hundred and thirty in all, walking on Iiia-,
right hand and on his left. Outside the camp a place had
been prepared for them, and there they alighted. Then a
inessenger came from the Prince to Je)?6b-i-.ffitddiis, say-
ing, " Either permit me to pay you a short visit here, or
else be kind enoihigli to come to me, that we may converse
together for a while, and arrange soiihie plan for your de-
parture." So Jewitb-i-Ii7iiddAs, with fourteen (or, as some
say, seven) others, came to the Prince's quarters.
After the iigiterchange of the usual compliments, the
Prince requested Jendb-i-Kuddq~s to order his followers to
lay down their arms, because these were a menace and a
cause of fear to the troops. This request he -urged so
persistently that Jendib-i-Kuddi~s finally sent orders to his
men to lay aside their weapons, which orders were cheer-
fully and willingly obeyed. Then the soldiers gathered
Tstill, that we fail not in respect for the Kur'dii, or
in. readiness to respond to his overtures, it is good for us, to
tread submissively this path of agony.J*
INIASSACRE OF THE GARRISON.
I
I
I
I
87
up the arms and weapons and bore them away. Before this
was done the Prince had ordered breakfast to be brought
for the BābÕs. But when these sat down unarmed to
eat, the soldiers surrounded them and fired a volley upon
them, and then rushed in amongst the survivors, giving
them for refreshment the draught of martyrdom. Then
they seized Jenetib-i-KuddAs and those who were with him.
A strange hospitality and welcome did they sliew to these
poor people! After they had for three months suffered such
hunger that they would eagerly eat grass, and even that





failed them, they were bidden on the Word of God to a
feast, yet ere they had tasted a single nhiorsel their hunger
was appeased with bullets 1 And so much of their blood
Nygas collected in a hollow of the ground that the truth of a
tradition which affirms that in that land shall be such
bloodshed that a horse asliall wade knee-deep in gore was
made, manifest.
Next day the royalists fell on the Castle, aii&carried
Off as plunder all the goods and chattels which were there-iii.
After this they moved their camp from that place, carrying
with them in shameful bonds Jeiia'b-i-Kitddiihs, MÕrzā
Mul , iammad Hasan the brother of Jen('tb-i-Ba'bu'1-B('1,b,
MullA Muhammad SAdik of Kl1urAsAn*, HAjf MÕrzā Mu-
hammad Hasan of Khur6s6n, Sheykh Ni'matu'llib. of Amul,
HAjf Nasir of Kazvin, Mul1A Yu'suf of Ardabfl, AkA Seyyid
'Abdu'l-'Azfm t1of KhAylt, and several others. They beat
the drums to celebrate their victory, and displayed such
pride in their prowess that one would have supposed that
they had either retaken from Russia the territories once
owlied by Persia, or obtained some great victory over the
English, which had placed them in possession of India, or
IMÕrzā Muhammad SAdik of KhurAsAnJ*
t of MarAgha]t





88
THE NEW HISTORY.
annexed BalfichistAn, AfgbAnistin, Balkh, and BukhArA, or
recovered their captives from the Turcomails, or won from
the Turks Baghdad, KerbelA, and Neief, and brought back
with them as prisoners of war many a proud PAshA. and
great captain.
When these few half-famished men, who for three
months had suffered such pangs of hunger as can scarcely
be conceived, were brought in <to BArfurfish>, the people
decorated the city and made great rejoicings. Jenaib-i-
Kudchis on his arrival in the city besought the Prince to
selgid him to the capital, to be dealt with by the Kin, him-
self, and to receive judgement according to the right. The
Prince at first acceded to his request, but when the 8a',Uz1'1-
'Ulavui heard that lie had done so, he sent him a message,
saying, " Beware that you meddle not in this matter, for he
is a plausible fellow and liath a specious tongue; should he
be suffered to appear before His Majesty the King, he will
assuredly succeed in misleading him. Send him tQ me,
and 1 will give you a tliouasand Wvz(tvs." . So the Prince
accepted the thousand (or, according to another account,
four hundred) Nnuins, and delivered over Jenaib-i-Kuddiis
to the SaVu'l-'Ulamd.
Now when Jena'b-i-Kztddi~s was broihight in before him,
the Sa'i'dit'l-'Ulanza' abused him right foully and entreated
him most cruelly. With his own hands he first cut off
both his ears, and then struck him on the crown. of the
head with an iron axe which lie held in his hands, which
blow caused his death. After that, a student severed Iiia%
holy head from his body in the inidst of the market-place*.
Then the 8a'&u'1-'U1anWt commanded that his body should
I
"'[And when they slew him no blood came forth from
his body. So they told this to the Sa'i'du'l-'Ulama'. And
lie a-,a~id, "He was afraid, and his blood left him."]*
i
i
I
I
EXECUTION OF JENkB-I-KUDDU'S. 89
be burned. So they tried to set fire to it, by kindling dried
rice-stalks. "[According to the account given by HAJf
Mirzd JAnf, not even the blazing fire thus kindled would
burn those holy remains. Some firmly believe this, and
regard it as an assured fact ; but the writer of these pages'
regards fire as a thing which must in its very nature bum,
and is essentially a consumer; that this natural quality
should be taken from it appears to him impossible. But
God knows best, and the reagponsibility for this narrative
lies on the narrator. HAjf MirzA Jd-nf further writes that





when they saw this they informed the 8a'Uu'1-'U1avza'.1*
Ile, fearing lest men might now condemn his action, bade
them go at once and cut the body in pieces and scatter
them in the fields. And they did as be commanded. But
at iiiglit t certain of the faithful, not known to men as
such, watched their opportunity, and came and gathered
up the fragments of the body, and buried them in a ruined
college. JHAjf Mfrzi JAI)f writes :-I " A believer whose
words are worthy of all credence -narrated as follows:-
'One day, before ever tllease matters were talked of, 1 was
in the company of that holy man. We were taking a walk
in the country, and in the course of it chanced to pass by
the gate of that same ruined college. He, speaking of the
JBut the fire would not consuine it. They secretly
told the  of this.1 "
t Jaccording to HAjf MÕrzā JAiii's accounQ t
1 A part of the passage from L. inserted here in the text has
been erased in the original MS. by a stroke of the pen; but, not-
,vithstanding this, it is easily legible. The erasure begins at the
words "but the writer (?nusawivid) of these pages ... ", and
extends to the words "Hijf Mfrzi Jinf further writes that . . . ".
Very probably the passage in L. is an interpolation of the
copyist, and was deleted by a former possessor of the MS., who
disapproved of such scepticism.





90 THE NEW HISTORY. PITIFUL END OF THE SA'fDU'L-'ULAMi.  91
vicissitudes of the world, said by way of ilhistration, " This doin of the K6'im' with an iron pestle in F6r6n' of Tellerin.-
college, for instance, was once frequented and flourishing, And since Jen'b-i-Kuddits had arisen to proclaim this
teaching, lie was in a sense Lord of the Dispeliasation, even
and is now desolate and ruined. After a while some illus-
trious man will be buried here, men will come from afar a-, it runs in the tradition. And by " the bearded Sa'fda
jdu'1-1 Ulam i appears to be meant, for he lacked all
to visit the place, and once again it will flourish."' So the 8a' a
virtues of manhood and was probably effeminate in the
likewise in the yearof his martyrdom., before he went to
worst sense'. Ali d the " iron pestle" was that same iron
KliurAsAn, he chaiieed one day to pass with a companion
through the square in which lie suffered death. His eyes axe wherewith lie smote the head of his illustrious victim,
while as to his being a recent convert to Isl6in and of
happening to fall on a heap of dried rice-stalks, he re-
Jewish extraction there is no doubt, this fact being well-
marked, 'This very year they will aslay a certain holy man
in this very spot after the vilest fashion, and will attempt known " to all the people of MAzandar6n. Moreover, after
b
to burn his bod with these very rice-stalks, but the fire the martyrdom of Jen(itb-i-Yuddq~s the 8a'&u'1-'U1ama'
y
asiifferecl a grievous punishment. For God deprived his
will be ashamed to touch it, though tltia~ people will not
body of the element of heat, so that in mid-sumnier, even
be -asliained.' Then lie heaved a deep sigh aii(l was while the sign of the Lion was dominant, two iron chafing-
-ilent."
So likewise in the exhortation known as "the Eternal dislies filled with glowing fire were brought with him
whenever he went to the mosque, and, although lie always
Witness'," which lie wrote while on his way to KliurisAii
wore a sheep-skin cloak over his vest, and over the aslieep-
to JP)z('tb-i-Brtbu'1-B('tb, alid wherein, besides foreshadow-
skin a thick mantle, lie, would make haste to finish his
ing his own martyrdom, lie clearly made known to hini prayers, and at once return to his home. And on his
how lie should die together with seventy' just and
arrival there, they would put the chafing-dishes under a
rigliteoi.ias men, lie wrote, " I shall bury my body with illy
kursP and, cover him with igiiatiy thick quilts, yet still his
(wil liands," by which expression lie signified that iioiie'
body would shiver and shake under the kio-st' by reaason of
would bury him [but that one of themselves would succeed
in accomplishing his interment]. Again in that same year
b * [by diverse indications and signs]
lie had repeatedly said to his sister and his step-mother,
"This year all rnaiiner of troubles will befall you by re."on 1 "He who is to arise", ie. the Mahdf.
of the love ye bear me, but be ye patient and thankful 2 The arabicized form of the Mount Paran of the Old Testa-
when affliction coigiies and the predestined blow fialls, and ment. L.'s reading, Fdrd, seengis to be a mere slip.
display resignation and fortitude." There is also a well- 3 In the original, " wa ghdlibWl Z' an-tabi'at bfzdand."
authenticated tradition to the effect that a bearded wonian 4 The kur8i, much used by the Persians in cold weather, is
of Jewish extraction called Sa'fda shall compass the martyr- like a low table under which a chafing-dish filled with burning
1 See 1). 44, snpra. charcoal is placed. The legs are put beneath it, and the re-
2 See p. 44, n. 3, supra. mainder of the body, supported by pillows, is protected from ; the





3 i.e. 110 jjjjLSUlnjjjj. cold with rugs and quilts.





92
THE NEW HISTORY.
the cold. So by reason of his lack. of caloric and heat-
producing power also one may describe him as bereft of
virility and manhood.
At all events it appears that after the martyrdom of
Jendb-i-Kudd?~s, a pious divine, 1-16jf Muhammad 'Ali
Hamza'f by name, whose skill in exegesis and spiritual
gifts were recognized by all, secretly sent several persons
to bury the mutilated remains in the ruined college already
mentioned. And he, far from approving the Sa'i'du'l-
'UtaimV.3 conduct, used to curse and revile him, and never
himself pronounced senteigice of death against any Bdbf,
but on the contrary used to obtain decent burial for those
slain by the Salidit'l-WIam6t. And when men questioned
him concerning the garrison of the Castle, lie would reply,
"I do not condeiiiii t hem or speak evil of them." For this
reason half of BArfuru'sh remained neutral', for at first he
used to forbid men to traduce or molest the BAbis, though
later, when the trouble waxed great, he deemed it prudent
to be silent and shut himself up in his house. Now his
austerity of life, piety, learning, and virtue were as well
known to the people of M6zandarAn as were the irreligion,
immorality, and worldliness of the 8a'Qu'1-'U1a9nei.
The doctor oft of wisdom bath no share,
And is but wisdom's guardian, not its heir.
' TV14c1b bearetli bookS2,' saith God. A mere dead load
Is knowledge which is not by Him bestowed.
 sword in savage hands is not more dire
 danger than the knowledge fools acquire
Rank, wealth, authority, and scripture lore
In evil hands cause only strife and war.
I Literally "silent."
2 This alludes to Kur'* 1xii, 5, where the Jews are reproved
for their rejection of Muhammad in these words, "Those unto,
whom the Pentateuch was committed, and who observed it not,
are like unto an ass which beareth books, &c."
BIOGRAPHIES OF ILLUSTRIOUS MARTYRS. 93
Wbene'er the unjust judge controls the pen,
Some MansAr I dies upon the gallows then.
Whene'er fools wield authority, God's Word
'They slay the proplIetS21 is a thing assured.113
Since an attempt to describe even in outline and in
the most concise manner possible all that relates to the
garrison of the Castle would lead us too far beyond our
original design, and would even then tell but a tithe of
what took place, we must perforce content ourselves with
giving for illustration brief and succinct accounts of some
few individuals only.
<Account of JKi-zai 31uhammad Hasan, the brothe2, of
.31ulld Juseyn. >





Amongst these was Mimi Muhammad Hasaii, the
[younger] brother of Jena'b-i-Ba'bu'1-Bab. The late Hdjf
Mimi JAnf writes, "I myself met him when lie waas bringing
his mother and sister from -KerbelA to Kazvfn and from
Kazvfn to TeherAn. His sister was the wife of Sheykli AbA
TurAb of Kazvfn, who was a scholar and philosopher such
as is rarely met with, and believed with the utmost sin-
cerity and purity of purpose, while such was his love agiid
devotion to the BAb that if anyone did so much as mention
the name of His Supreme Holiness (the souls of all beside
him be his sacrifice!) he could not restrain his tears. Often
Huseyn b. MansAr-i-HallAj (the wool-carder) was a cele-
brated SAff who wandered about teaching the most exalted
mysticism till he was finally sentenced to death by the I Mind at
Baghdad, and there hanged or crucified in the year A.H. 309
(A.D. 922). He was condemned on a charge of blasphemy,
because in one of his mystical ecstasies he had cried out "Ana
'1-H44 " (ie. " I am God").
2 Kur'ān, iii, 108.
3 This quotation is from the Hasnavi.





94
THE NEW HISTORY.
have I seen him, when engaged in the perusal of the writings
of His Supreme Holiness, become almost beside himself
with rapture, and nearly faint with joy. Of his wife lie
used to say, 'I married her three years ago in Kerbel6.
She was then but all indifferent scholar even in Persian,
but now she call expound texts from th - e KhLir'An and
explain the most difficult que9tions and most subtle points
of the doctrine of the Divine Unity in such wise that I
have never seen a mail who was her equal in this, or in
readiness of apprehension. These gifts sl-te has obtained
by the blessing of His Holiness the Supreme and through
converse with Her Holiness- the Pure' (upon wlioihii be the
splendour of God!). I have seen in her a patience and
resignation rare even in the most self-denying men, for
during these three years, though I have not sent her a
,~a
single dindr for her expenses, and she has supported herself
only with the greatest difficulty, she has never uttered a
w(rd; gtnct now that she has come to Telierdii she refrains
altogether from speaking of the past, and though, in accord-
alice with the wishes of An6b-i-B(tbu'1-BCtb, she now
desires to proceed to Kliuris6n, and has literally nothing
to put oil save the one well-worn dress which she wears, she
never asks for clothes or travelling-inoney, but ever seeks
reasonable excuses wherewith to set me at my ease and
prevent me from feeling ashamed * Her purity, chastity,
and virtue are boundless, and during all this while no
unprivilecred person hath so much as heard her voice'.'
But the virtues of the daughter were surpassed by
I Jendib-i-Phira) i.e. Kurratu'l-'Ayn.
2 This sister of Mulhit I * luseyn~s may perhaps be the same
who is known aniongst the Bibl's as Je720-i-Maryam, one of
whose poenis-an imitation of the ghazal of Sharns-i-Tabrifz
begiiiiiiii(h,, 'Bi-n'in6y rukh, ki bagh A gulistdnam dirzftst-is in
ZD
nly possession.
a
BIOGRAPHIES OF ILLUSTRIOUS MARTYRS. 95
those of the mother, who possessed rare attainments and
accoignplisbments, and had composed many poems and
eloquent elegies oil the afflictions of her sons. Although
Jena'b-i-B6bu'1-Ba'b had warned her of his approa~hing
martyrdom and foretold to her all the impending cala-
inities, she still continued to exhibit the same eager devo-
tion and cheerful resignation, rejoicing that God had
accepted the sacrifice of her sons, and even praying that
they might attain to this great dignity and not be deprived
of so great blessedness. It is indeed wonderful to meditate
oil this virtuous and saintly family, the sons so conspicuous





for their single-minded devotion and self-sacrifice, the
I
mother and daughter so patient and resigned. When 1,
MirzA JAW, met Mirzi Muhammad Hasan he was but
seventeen years of age, yet I observed in him a dignity,
gravity, composure, and virtue which amazed me. After
the death of Jen('tb-i-.B('tbu'1-B('tb, H(qq-at-i-Kud-di'ts1 be-
stowed on him the asword and turban of that -glorious
martyr, and made him captain of the troops of the True
Kin,,,. As to his martyrdom, there is a difference of
opinion as to whether he was slain at the breakfast-table
in the camp, or a,,iiffered martyrdom with Jenetb-i'-Kudd~ts in
the square of BArfuru'sh." [But the more probable version,
which, indeed, amounts almost to a certainty, is that lie
suffered martyrdom with that holy man.]
I Although in this history the lower title of Jendb rather
than the higher title of Hazrat is generally given to Ha'j*f MullA
Muhammad 'Ali' of 13-6rfuru'sh, amongst the early BābÕs generally
the latter appears to have been accorded to him. AS'ubl&-i-Ezel,
for instance, always spoke and wrote of him as _11azrat-i-Ifuddfis.





96
THE NEW HISTORY.
I
[Account of the noble Riza Kk6n, and his courage
and devotion.]
Amongst them also was RizA KhAii, the son of Mu-
hammad Khain the TurkmAn, Master of the Horse to his
late Majesty Muhammad ShAh. And he was a youth
graceful of form, comely of face, endowed with all manner
of talents and virtues, dignified, temperate, gentle, generous,
courageous, and manly. For the love and service of His
Supreme Holiness he forsook both his post and his salary,
and shut his eyes alike to rank and name, fame and shaine,
reproaches of friends and revilipgs of foes. At the first
step he left behind him dignity, wealth, position, and all
the power and consideration which lie enjoyed, spent large
sums of money (four or five thousand tI'Mins at least) in
the cause, and repeatedly sliewed his readiness freely to lay
down his life. One of these occasions was when His Su-
preme, Holiness arrived at the village of KhAillik near
TeherAn, and, to try the fidelity of his followers, said,
" Were there but a few horsemen who would deliver me
from the bonds of the froward and their devices, it were
not aniia-3,,3." On hearing these words, several tried and
expert -horsemen, fully equipped and ariigied, at once pre-
pared to set out, and, renouncingr all that they had, hastily
conveyed themselves before His Holiness. Amongst these
were MÕrzā KurbAn 'Alf of AstardbAd and Rizi KhAn.
When they were come before His Holiness, lie a-,miled and
said, " The mountain of &zarbaij&nl has also a claim on
me," and bade them turn back.
ie. Miku. on the frontiers of AzarbaijAn, which the Bib in
the Persian BeyAn generally alludes to as 11 Jabal-i-J&n the
Mountain of M.").
I
J
BIOGRAPHIES OF ILLUSTRIOUS MARTYRS. 97
After his return RizA KhAn devoted himself! to the
service of the friends of God, and hish houseg was~often
the meeting-place of the believers, amongst whom both
Jena'b-i-Kuddis and ~Tendb-i-Ba'bu'1-Ba'b were -for a while
his honoured guests. Indeed he neither spared himself
nor fell short in the service of any of this circle, but, not-
withstanding his high position, strove with heart and soul
to further the objects of God's servants. When, for in-
stance, Jena&i-Kuddiis first began to preach the doctrine
iii MdzandarAn, and the SaVuVUlama", being informed
of this, made strenuous efforts to do him injury, RizA:
KhAn at once hastened to Mizandardn, and, whenever
Jendb-i-Kuddi'ts went forth from his house, used, in spite
of his high position and the respect to which he was accus-





tomed, to walk on foot before him with his drawn sword
over his shoulder; seeing which the malignants feared to
take any liberty. Whoever considers such behaviour fairly
and without prejudice will surely allow that it is in itself
a thing transcending ordinary experience and beyond the
measure of merely human strength. For no one would
without good reason voluntarily forego the consideration
and respect to which he is accustomed, incur the recrimina-
tions and reproaches of his fellows, and walk alone, bare-
footed and with drawn sword, before the horse of another
amidst a host of foes, thereby placing his life in peril, had
he not first clearly beheld the goal before him and recog-
nized an object worthy of his endeavour. 'Alf, with all his
might and valour, [and though it was well known to his
companions that if he did but put his hand to the hilt of
Zu'l-Fikdr' he would drive a multitude from the world of
~eing to the realms of non-existence, and that none could
withstand him, t and that when he went forth to fight in the
I The name of 'Alf's celebrated sword.
N. H,
7





98
THE NEW HISTORY.
field of battle lie regarded the population of the whole world
as naught and their existence as of none accouihit, standing
not in need of any help but God's, t nevertheless]' said to
his august companions :-
* [" Shave your heads, lay your naked swords across
your shoulders, and come, so that, according to your re-
quest, I may set myself to promote God's cause." In the
morning, of all those followers, who in word had been so
eager for that enterprise, only four came. to the door of
'Alf's abode. Of these four, only SalmAn had shaved his
head aigid girded on his sword (and that secretly beneath
his cloak); and yet he was accounted almost as one of 'Alf's
household, while his life was far advanced towards its
natural term, neither did lie en ' joy any aspecitl rank, power,
or authority. Moreover lie know 'Ali to be both wronged
and able to redress his wrongs, and yet he girded on his
sword beneath his cloak! As for the other three followers,
they were not even willing to give up the liair on their
heads !]* So, then, for one in authority and in the prime
of youth to renounce without constraint his life and all the
good things of the world, to run with drawn sword over his
shoulder before the horse of his beloved master, and to fear
not a whole city-full of obstinate foes, is a thing which
* T" Let seven (or four) inen accompany me to the
mosque with drawn swords." SalmAn, who was preferred
before the other followers in service and hODour, and who
knew 'Ali to be both wronged and able to redress his
wrongs, and to have been the victim of an unlawful usurpa-
tion, neverthe ess girded on his sword secretly under his,
cloak, and this though his life, had almost reached its
natural term, neither did lie enjoy any special rank, power,
or authority. I*
I This passage occurs only in L., the words enclosed between
daggers having been subsequently inserted in the margin.
]BIOGRAPHIES OF ILLUSTRIOUS MARTYRS. 99
transcends the strength of man, and hath not heretofore'
been heard or seen.
To continue. For some while Rizd Khdn remained
after this fashion in MAzandarAn, until he accompanied
Jendb-i-Kuddits to Mash-had. On his return thence he
was present at the troubles at Badasht, where he performed
the most valuable services, and was entrusted with the
most important and delicate commissions. After the meet-
ing at Badasht was dispersed, he fell ill, and, in company
with MirzA Suleymdn-Kulf of NAr (a son of the late Shai-
tir-b6sh'i", also conspicuous for his virtues, learning, and
devotion), came to TeherAn. RizA KhAn's illness lasted for
some while, and on his recovery the war of the Castle <of
Tabarsf > had already waxed grievoiias. He at once deter-





mined to go to the assistance of the garrison. Being, how-
ever, a, man of mark a gnd well known, he could not leave
the capital without giving some plausible reason. He there-
fore pretended to repent his former course of action, and
begged that he might be sent to take part in the war
in MAzandardn, and thus make amends for the past. The
King granted his request, and he was appointed to accom-
pany the force proceeding under Prince Mahdf-Kulf MÕrzā
against the Castle. During the march thither he was con-
tinually saying to the Prince, " 1 will do this," and " I will
do that;" so that the Prince came to entertain high hopes
of him, and promised him a post commensurate with his
services, for till the ' day when battle was inevitable and
peace no longer possible he was ever foremost in the army
and most active in ordering its affairs.
But on the first day of battle he began to gallop his
horse and practise other martial exercises, until, without
I The Slidtir-bashi is the chief or superintendent of the foot-
men who run before the ShAh on state occasions and clear the
way for him.
7-2





100 THE NEW HISTORY.
having aroused suspicion, he suddenly gave it free rein
and effected a junction with the Brethren of Purity'.
On arriving in their midst, he kissed the knee of Jenaib-i-
tCuddfts, and prostrated himself before him in thankfulness.
Then lie once more returned to the battle-field, and began
to revile and curse the Prince, saying, "Who is man enough
to trample under foot the pomp and circumstance of the
world, free himself from the bonds of carnal lusts, and join
himself, as I have done, to the saints of God? I for my
part shall only be satisfied with my head when it falls
stained with dust and blood in this plain." Then like a
ravening lion he rushed upon them with naked brand, and
quitted himself so manfully that all the royalist officers
were astonished, saying, "Such valour must have been newly
granted him from OD high, or else a new spirit liath been
breathed into his frame." For it happened more than once
that he cut down a gunner as he was in the very act of
firing his gun, while so many of the chief officers of the
royalist army fell by his hand that the Prince and the
other commanding officers desired more eagerly to revenge
themselves on him than on any other of the BābÕs. There-
fore, on the eve of the day appointed for Jendb-i-Kuddits
to surrender himself at the royalist camp, RizA KhAn,
knowing that because of the fierce hatred which they bore
him they would slay him with the most cruel tortures, went
by night to the quarters of an officer in the camp who was
an old and faithful friend and comrade. After the massacre
of the other BAbis, search was made for Rizi KhAn, and he
was at length discovered. The officer who had sheltered
him proposed to ransom him for a sum of two thousand
Wma'ns in cash, but his proposal was rejected, and though
lie offered to increase the sum, and strove earnestly to save
I _Tkhwdnu's-safd, a name still often applied by the Bibis to
themselves. L., however, substitutes, "Friends of God".
BIOGRAPHIES OF ILLUSTRIOUS MARTYRS. 101
his friend, it was of no avail, for the Prince, because of the
exceeding hatred he bore RizA KhAn, ordered him to be
hewn in pieces.
Xen so, without a tear or smile, he sped;
One spirit woke to life, another fled."
< Account of Hurshid. >-
Amongst the garrison of the Uastle was another person
named Murshid, a notable scholar and mystic, remarkable
alike for his intellectual and moral excellence, who had
visited all parts of the world, associated with every class
and circle of society, and was familiarly acquainted with
the most distinguished men of the capital. On the day
when the royal troops took captive and massacred the
garrison of the Castle, violated their oath and covenant,
and made manifest their infidelity and disbelief in the





1~ur'An, Murshid was amongst those whom they brought
bound before the Prince. Now SuleymAn KhAn' was an
old and intimate friend of Murshid's, and, as soon as his
eyes fell upon him, he said, "How came you to be involved
in this perit? Thank God that I was here, else you would
certainly not have escaped.," Murshid answered, "If you
desire to do me a friendly service such that I may bear you
eternal gratitude, do not intercede for me and thereby
deprive me of the glory of martyrdom." Suleymin KbAn,
overcome with astonishment, strove by every means to dis-
suade him from this course, but he only replied, "I have
tasted to the full the bitter and sweet of life, its hot and
cold,-its ups and downs. I have trodden every path, held
converse with every claass, associated with men of every
I ie. Suleym6n KhAn Afshdr, who was sent to supersede
Prince Mahdf-Kulf Mirzi in the actual command of the besieging
force. See p. 85 supra.





f
102 THE NEW HISTORY.
sort and condition, and -
,,olight to fitthoin, every creed, but
i_^i, m +Iia Tnitli save ill this supreme
nownere -nave I
station) where I have seen with mine eyes and heard w
mine ears things passing description. For a while I have
walked with these in the path of love and with them have
trod its stages, and I would not leave them now. Suffer
me, then, to bear them company, and set me free from the
trammels of this life.
(I know for sure that this my life is death;
My true life opens at ngiy closing breath."'
So he would not stiffer himself to be moved by Suleymin
KhAn's Persuasions, but continued looking towards the exe-
cutioner and awaiting the death-blow ; wherefore, seeing
him so eager for the draught of martyrdom, they quenched
his thirst with the bright sword. And SuleymAn KhAn
and the other officers were amazed beyond description at
his asteadfastness.
So in like manner there was anotlier, a mere youth,
whom the a-,ol(liers had hidden to save frorigi death, [that
advantage might accrue to them from his family.] But
('b
when his eyes fell on Jen t -i-Kuddiis, whom they were
leading away in fetters and chains, he was overcome with
e and cried Out, Would that I were
uncontrollable motion, ,
blind, that I might not see you thus Then he began to
weep and cry out, saying, " Lot me go to my master; " and
though they bade him hold his peace and not make known
his connection with the BābÕs, he did but cry the, more,
" Do ye not see that I am one of them ? " until at length
the others perceived the true state of the case, and bore
him away to death. r-:4-1-ful -41- were. le
Now as to the remnant ot the
alive, they brought them in fetters and chains to BArfurAsh.
Some of them they sold, such as *EMullA Muhammad
BIOGRAPHIES OF ILLUSTRIOUS MARTYRS. 103
~idikj* of Kliurdsin, AkA Seyyid 'Aem the Turk, HAji
[MÕrzā] Nasfr of Kazvfn, and MÕrzā Huseyn of Kum'.
Several were sent to Sirf, and there suffered martyrdom ;
others were put to death at BArfurfisli; while two more
Of these latter, ne was Mull.4 Ni'-
were sent to AmuL 0
iiiatu'llAh of Amul, a man skilled in philosophy and science,
and endowed with singular virtues; the other was MÕrzā
Muhammad BAkir Tof KA'inj of KhurAsAn, Nvho, apart
from his learning, was a man of many arts and resources
and very brave and valorous, and who had planned most





of the strategical movements of the garrison. MullA Ni'-
iiiatu'11411 was first slain with every circumstance of cruelty
and indignity, but when the headsman would have killed
MÕrzā BAkir and began to mock and revile him, his anger
blazed forth, and, calling to mind the Beloved of the worlds,
lie broke the bonds which confined his arms, plucked the
knife from the headsmaii's hands, and smote him so sharply
on the neck that his head rolled away some ten or fifteen
paces. The bystanders rushed upon him, but he despatched
several of them to the hell whence they originally came,
and wounded some others, until at length they shot the
brave youth from afar off. Men and women marvelled at
his courage and manhood, wondering how he was able thus
to burst asunder those strong links of iron and oppose so
fierce a resistance to a thousand foes all thirsting for his
blood. When lie had fallen, they searched his pockets and
found therein a little roasted horse-fiesh +[which had be-
come too dry for him to eatj t and many a heart was moved
at the thought of his courage and his afflictionS2.
* [JenAb-i-Mukaddas] *
t ~wliich he had not be"en able to eatj t
1 Cf. my Traveller's Narrative, p. 129, n. 2.
2 In the notes taken during one of my interviews with Subh-





104 THE NEW HISTORY.
f
[Account of Akd Se id Alimad of Semnin and his
yy a
circumstances.]
Of the number of those brave warriors of truth who
were most eminent for their attainments was AkA Seyyid
Ahmad of SeminAn, a preacher of incomparable eloquence
and rare powers of diction and delivery, well known
throughout all Mizandarin for his godliness, simplicity of
life, virtue, and piety. When lie saw the faithful belea-
guered in the Castle of Tabarsf, and ascertained them to be
for the most part learned, wise, and virtuous beyond the
generality of their fellows, he was convinced by his natural
acuteness of apprehension that they would not have em-
barked on so hazardous an enterprise or have thus impe-
rilled their lives unless they had clearly recognized -_ in the
new doctrine > -something --worthy of their self-devotion:>.
This was in the early days of the siege, be-fore the garrison
of the Castle were subjected to a rigorous blockade. And
the inhabitants of Sh,,gth-Mirzi and Dasak-sar, two consi-
derable villages situated near to the Tomb of Sheykh
i-Ezel at Famagusta I find the following entry, which in some
measure confirms what is here related:-" Mirz6 Bikir, who had
been balf-starved, and had had his nose cut off, was shot on the
bridge at ~mul, but not till he had -wounded several of his foes
with a kDife."
I I am uncertain as to the correct spelling of this name,
which is not clearly written in either MS. In C. it appears to
stand as j- tL,3; in L. as a_j; but in either case the first
letter may be a 5 instead of a ,. Perhaps it is the same village
as that called in the Rawzatu's-6afd in the Ndsikhu't-
Taw6rikh and by Gobinean (p. 202) Daskk In the
TraveZle?s Narrative (vol. ii, pp. 177 and 190) 1 have trans-
literated this name as Vdsaks, but this is merely conjectural.
1310GRAPHIES OF ILLUSTRIOUS MARTYRS. 10
Tabarsf, moved by the same. considerations as had influ
enced AkA Seyyid Ahmad, resolved to enquire into th
matter, and waited upon him to unfold their views. "I also,?
replied he, " am filled with wonder at their behaviour, an
am much disposed to examine their doctrine, and discove
what object they have in view." To this the others replie4
" We entertain no doubt concerning your piety and wisdom,
and if you, having visited them, affirm the truth of their
claims, we too will join ourselves to them and help them,
so far as lies in our power, with men and supplies."
Now although at this time none dared so much as
speak of the BābÕs, much less go to their stronghold and
converse with them, AkA Seyyid Ahmad, actuated solely
by his natural goodness and sincerity, manfully set out for
the Castle to ascertain the truth of the matter. And it





had been agreed that, so soon as he should have satisfied
himself, he should return and inform the others of the state
of the case, so that, if they held to their promise, they
might all join the defenders of the Castle, and furnish them
with supplieas. So Ak6 Seyyid Ahmad, shutting his eyes
to all worldly considerations, and impelled by zeal to dis-
cover the truth, set his feet within that vortex of affliction.
And when he was come thither, and had met and conversed
with Je)za'b-i-Kuddfts and others of the believers, the veil
of doubt fell from his eyes, and he saw plainly that which
he sought transcending the understandings of the wisest
amongst mankind. So he believed with his whole heart,
and thereafter turned not back from the path on which he
had entered.
Then he sent word to the inhabitants of the two villages,
saying,
That which my heart hath long essayed to find
Is found at length, concealed this veil behind.'





106
THE NEW HISTORY.
So the villagers began to make preparations to go to the
Castle, but just at that time the troops hemmed it in on all
sides, closing every avenue of approach, so that they were
unable to reach it. Surely, men care, naught for religious
truth, and are held back by the bonds of passion and self-
interest from taking thought of spiritual things, for of
those, whether wise or simple, who set themselves to en-
quire into the matter not one but was convinced.
"The physician of Love hath the healing breath of Christ, and
is prone to heal,
But how can he undertake the cure of a pain which thou
dost not feel?"
Yet more wonderful than the events above described is
the account of them given by 'Abbia-,-Kulf KhAn, with
many expressions of admiration, to Prince Ahmad MÕrzā.
The late HAji MÕrzā JMif writes :-" About two years after
the disaster of Sheykh Tabarsf I heard one, who, though
not a believer, was honest, trathful, and worthy of credit,
relate as follows:-'We were sitting together when some
allusion was made to the war waged by some of those pre-
sent against Hazrat-i-Kudd~isl and Je)?a'b-i-Ba'bu'1-Ba'b.
Prince Ahmad MirzA and 'AbbAs-Kulf Kli6igi were amongst
the company. The Prince questioned 'Abbis-Kulf Khdn
-about the matter, and he replied thus :-" The truth of the
matter is that anyone who had not seen Kerbeli would, if
he had seen Tabarsf, not only have comprehended what
there took place, but would have ceased to consider it';
and had lie seen MullA Huseyii of Bushraweyh lie would
1 See n. 1 on p. 95 mpra.
2 ie. the courage displayed by the Ba'bfs at Sheykh Tabarsf
and the afflictions endured by them resembled, but far surpassed,
the fortitude and the sufferings of the Imirn Ijuseyn and his
followers at Kerbeli.
A TRIBUTE OF PRAISE FROM THE FOE.' 107
have been convinced that the Chief of Martyrs' had
returned to earth; *Tand had lie witnessed my deeds he
would assuredly have said, 'This is Shinir come back
with sword and lance.'J* I swear by the sacred plume 2
of His Majesty the Centre of the Universe that one day
Mulld Huseyn, having on his head a green turban, and
over his shoulder a shroud, came forth from the Castle,
stood forth in the open field, and [leaning on a lance which
he held in his hand] said,' 0 people, why, without enquiry,
and under the influence of passion and prejudiced misre-
presentation, do ye act so cruelly towards us, agnd strive
without cause to shed innocent blood ? Be ashamed before
the Creator of the universe, and at least give us passage,
that we may depart out of this land [to Europe, or Turkey,
or India.]' Seeing that tglle soldiers were moved, I opened





fire, and ordered the troops to shout so as to drown his
voice. Again 1 saw t[him lean on his lance and cry, 'Is
there any who will help me?' three times],t so that all
heard his cry. At that moment all the soldiers were silent,
land some beran to weep], and many of the horsemen were
0
visibly affected. Fearing that th ' e army might be seduced
from their allegiance, I again ordered them to fire land
shoutI. Then I saw MOR Huseyn unsheath his sword,
raise his face towards heaven, and exclaim, '0 God, I have
completed the proof to this host, but it availeth not.' Then
lie began to attack us on the right and on the left. I swear
by God that on that day lie wielded the sword in such
*PA bbris-lCuli' Kluin's descrigion of 111.11116 Rusey2z's
entry into the field of balile.]*
t Ithat his voice was raisedl f
I ie. the ImArn Vuscyn.
2 Jika, properly the aigrette worn by the Shah in the front
of his kuldh.





108
THE NEW HISTORY.
f
wise as transcends the power of man. Only the horsemen
of MAzandarAn held their ground and refused to flee. And
when MullA Huseyn was well warmed to the fray he over-
took a <fugitive::-- soldier. - The soldier sheltered himself
behind a tree, and further strove to shield himself with his
musket. MullA Huseyn dealt at him such a blow with
his sword that he clave him and the tree and the musket
into six pieces'. And during all that war not once was his
sword-stroke at fault, but every blow which he struck fell
true. And by the nature of their wounds I could recognize
all whom MullA Huseyn had cut down with his sword*,
land since I had heard and knew that none could rightly
wield the sword save the Chief of Believers', and that it
was <well-nigh > impossible for sword to cut so trueJ
therefore I forbade all who were aware of this thing to
mention it or make it known, lest the troops should be
discouraged and should wax faint in the fight. But in
truth I know not what had been shewn-to those people,
or what they had seen, that they came forth to battle
with such alacrity and joy, and engaged so eagerly
and gladly in the strife, without displaying in their
countenances any trace of fear or apprehension. One
would imagine that in their eyesa the keen sword and
blood-spilling dagger were but means to the attainment
of everlaasting life, so eagerly did their necks and
bosoms welcome them as they circled like salamanders
round the fiery hail of bullets. And the astonishing thing
was that all these men were scholars and men of learning,
sedentary recluses of the college and the cloister, delicately
nurtured and of weakly frame, inured < indeed >- to austeri-
*[knowing it to be the blow of Iiias hand]*
I i.e. be cut each of them in two.
2 (Ali b. Abf Tdlib, the first Imim.
REFLECTIONS ON THE SIEGE OF TABARSf. 109
ties, but strangers to the roar of cannon, the rattle of mus-
ketry, and the field of battle. During the last three months
of the siege, moreover, they were absolutely without bread
and water, and were reduced to the extreme of weakness
through lack of even such pittance of food as is sufficient
to sustain life. Notwithstanding this, it seemed as if in
time of battle a new spirit was breathed into their frames,
insomuch that the imagination of man cannot conceive the
vehemence of their courage and valour. They used to
expose their bodies to the bullets and cannon-balls not
olgily fearlessly and courageously, but eagerly and joyously,
seeming to regard the battle-field as a banquet, and to be
bent on casting away their lives'." ' "
In short, seldom has the eye of time beheld or the his-





torian been called upon to record events so wondrous or
afflictions so dire as those which befell these devoted be-
lievers in Mizandarin. And withal these men were for
the most part lionourable amongst their people, delicately
nurtured in the lap of luxury, accustomed to comfort if not
to splendour, highly considered and esteemed by their
neighbours, and in the enjoyment of fame, influence, and
high authority. Yet they manfully severed all worldly
ties, abandoned every hope and ambition of their own, and
for nine months were exposed to all manner of afflictions,
suffering sudh long stress of hunger that they were content
to eat grass and the flesh of horses and to drink each day 4
single cup of warm water. Yet, so far from complaining or
*ubh-i-Ezel informed me that on one occasion, when some
P
of the cle~gy of Mr began to revile Mullh Huseyn in the resence
of 'AbbAs-J~ulf Khdn, he said-
..U ..tr ~ :~ ,y. J6~_' ijla;  U
"There is no occasion for reviling: he was a brave man, who
slew and was-slain."





110
THE NEW HISTORY.
sorrowing, they endured patiently and even joyfully, not
swerving aside by so much as a hair's breadth from the path
which they so steadfastly followed, and attaining to heights
of constancy whereof the lowest degree transcends the
imagination of saints and apostles. The pen is powerless
to describe the full measure of their high-souled devotion
and heroism, but a sufficient hint of it has been given
in this brief narrative to prevent the uninformed from re-
garding this episode as a matter of small consequence, or
imagining that it was but men of mean position who,
misled by idle dreams, suffered themselves to be slain.
Let this much at least be known and recognized, that these
were men of consequence aihid the best of every class, and
that they, disregarding all worldly considerations, did,
being of full knowledge and understanding, voluntarily
and cheerfully lay down their lives in the way of the
Beloved.
Now these events took place in the fifth' year of the
Manifestation, corresponding to the year A.H. 12642 , and
the period of their duration [from first to last] was nine
months [or even more].
C. has "third". The fifth year of the Manifestation beoan
on the Nawr~iz Of A.H. 1264 (about March 21St, A.D. 1848). Cf.
Traveller's Yarrative, p. 425.
2 C. has "A.H. 1263". The troubles in Mizandarin began
towards the end of the year A.H. 1264 (autunin Of A.D. 1848)
and lasted till Ramaz'n or Sbawwa' A.H. 1265 (July or August
a
1849).
CONVERSION OF SEYYID YAHY-k OF Mkltill. Ill
[Account of the Episode of the learned, virtuous, and incom-
' I
parable Aka Seyyid Ya~ya', the possessor of divine
gifts of the highest order, the strenuous striver ater
knowledge, who went to Feirs to seek after the truth,
and proved His Supreme Holiness, until at length he
reached the haven of faith ; and how he went thenice
to Yezd, and there set up the standard, and thence to
Ni`r'~; and of the circumstances incidental to all this.]
Yet more wonderful than the MAzandardn episode is
that which befell AkA Seyyid YahyA of Ddrgb, son of the
late AkA Seyyid ia'far-i-Kashff. And he was eminent
amongst divines and thinkers, divinely gifted with super-
natural faculties, notable for his sanctity, and unrivalled in
austerity of life and piety. Now when lie heard the report
of the Manifestation, he went to Shfriz expressly to enquire
into the matter. There he met with a certain eminent and
illustrious divine who is in truth learned in Divine Know-
ledge and wise in the wisdom of the Eternal, one whose





being is an ever-stirriDg sea harbouring ideas bright as
pearls. But men know him not by this name < of BābÕ >,
for the All-Wise hath till now kept him under the shadow
of His protection for the - perfecting and training of His
servants, the guidance of such as wander in the wilderness
of search into the straight highway of knowledge, and the
deliverance from error of such as seek after truth. With
this illustrious personage and several other, learned and
pious believers did this thirsty pilgrim in the path of
enquiry meet on his arrival at ShfrAz. He was eager to
obtain forthwith an interview with the BAb, but per-
mission was for sundry reasons deferred, and Seyyid
YahyA spent this interval in examining some of the sacred





112
THE NEW HISTORY.
writings. Finding in them no ground for objection or de-
nial, he said in confidence to the illustrious divine already
referred to, " These luminous words bear witness to the
truth of the claim, and leave no room for doubt ; yet were
it permitted to me to behold some miracle or sign beyond
this, I should gain a fuller assurance." To this the other
answered, " For such as have like us beheld a thousand
marvels stranger than the fabled cleaving of the moon to
demand a miracle or sign from that Perfect Truth would
be as though we should seek light from a candle in the full
blaze of the radiant sun:
In presence of the sun's effulgence bright
Should we from lamp or candle seek for light,
'T would surely be an act as vain as rude,
A proof of folly and ingratitude.
The sun, in sooth, requires no further sign
Than the slant sun-beam's long-protracted line.""
So AkA Seyyid Yahyi set down in writing several hard
questions of his own devising, and one night, about five
hours after sun-set, sent this paper by means of the eminent
divine afore-mentioned to His Supreme Holiness. In the
morning the messenger brought the answer, wherein were
nearly three thousand verses of texts and explanations
sufficient to dispel all doubts. No sooner had AkA Seyyid
YahyA glanced at these than be was filled with wonder, and
said to that illustrious divine, " I have beheld a marvel a
hundred-thousand-fold beyond what I sought, for, with all
my learning and scholarship, I spent nine whole days in
writing one single page of questions containing not inore
than twelve lines. Most wonderful, therefore, does it seem
to me that over two thousand verses and illustrations of
such exceeding eloquence and beauty of style should be
revealed and written down during five or six hours of the
I This quotation is from the .1fasnavi.
I
shipl*
CONVERSION OF SEYYID YAHYk OF DkRkB. 113
latter part of the night, which is the time for His Holigne a ss'
repose.
When, therefore, AkA Seyyid Yal~yA had well consi-
dered that writing, *[and the solutions therein offered of
the hard questions which he had propounded, his doubts
were completely removed];* and, after a sojourn of some
little while, during which the honour of an interview was
accorded to him, he received permission to depart, and set
out for Yezd. The late HAjf MÕrzā JAnf writes, " A'kA
Seyyid YahyA, agreeably to the behest of His Supreme Holi-
ness, came from Yezd to TeherAn, and it was during this
Journey that I had the honour of meeting him. It was at a





season when snow had covered the earth, the air was bitter
cold, and snow and rain threatened travellers with destruc-
tion and rendered locomotion almost impracticable. Never-
theless I beheld in him a blitheness and content which knew
no limit. I once demanded of him in the course of conver-
sation what had been the means of his conversion, and how
he had come to believe. His answer was as follows:-'After
the report of the Manifestation had been spread abroad,
men would ask of me, " What say you of him'? " to which
I was for~ed to reply, " Not having seen him, what can
I say? When I have seen him, and ascertained somewhat
about him, I shall be able to impart to you what I have
-understood." After a while I -set out for ShfrAz to enquire
into the matter. In the first interview with His Holiness
wherewith I was honoured, I spoke, after the manner of
divines, in a somewhat arrogant fashion, asking numerouas
questions, and conducting myself haughtily, as men of
learning are wont to do. His Holiness answered ine; but,
* Jhe at once believed and prostrated himself in wor-
1 i.e. the BAb.
N. 11.
8





114 THE NEW HISTORY.
my eyes being still covered with a veil of egotism and self-
approval, his words found no favour in my sight. 1 began to
be somewhat sorry that I had troubled myself to no purpose,
and fruitlessly undertaken so long and tedious a journey,
though His Holiness smiled upon me, and treated ine very
graciously. On returning to my lodging, I said to some of
his disciples who were profoundly versed in knowledge,
" You are far wiser and more learned than this youth ; for
what reason do you acknowledge the truth of hisg claim. and
admit the cogency of his proofs?" "If you will but be
patient," answered they, " for a little while, you too will
confess and yield." I wished to return to my home, and
was actually iDtending to start, but my companions pre-
vented me, saying, " You too will be fully convinced."
I enquired on what grounds they based their belief. They
replied, " Experience has taught us that anyone whom His
Holiness receives graciously, and to whom he shews affec-
tion, is in the end invariably -persuaded, even though lie be
filled with antagonism and aversion ; while, on the other
hand, anyone on whom His Holiness looks not favourably
turns aside, even though at first he incline to believe."
" 'To be brief, one night His Holiness summoned ine,
and, after receiving me. very graciously, said, 1, What dost
thou. desire of ine ? " I replied, " I aiii a man of learning,
and learning is my daily bread. I have in mind several
questions, the which should you be able to solve I shall
know that the Point of Knowledge is yours." " Write
down your questions," said lie, " that I may answer thein
in writing." Now I had in inind three questions. Two of
these I wrote down and handed to His Holiiie,-,as, who It
once took a pen, and, without reflection or hesitation, wrote,
as fast as pen could travel, answer-, of agurpassing inerit.
Then lie took another sheet of paper and wrote, "The third
question which you have in your inind is this, and this is
s
SEYYID YAHYk GOES TO YEZD. 115
its answer." When 1 had considered these full and sufli-
cient answers, and the reply given to the question which
I had in my mind (which I regarded as more weighty and
important than the other two, but deemed unanswerable),
I submitted so entirely to the power of attraction and influ-
ence which he possesses that at a mere hint on his part I am
proud and glad to undertake a journey in tghis cold winter
weather, my only hope being that he will of his grace and
favour accept me as the servant of his servants, and that
I may be permitted to shed even a drop of my blood in the
furtherance of his cause.'
" When, after the lapse of some time, I again had the
honour of meeting AkA Seyyid YahyA in Teherin,'I ob-
served in his august countenance the signs of a glory and





power which I had not noticed during iny first journey
with him to the capital, nor on other occasions of meeting,
and I knew that these signs portended the near approach
of -his departure from the world. Subsequently lie said
several times in the course of conversation, 'This is my
last journey, and hereafter you will see me no more,' and
often, explicitly or by implication, he gave utterance to the
same thought. Sometimes when we were together, and the
conversation took an appropriate turn, he would remark,
'The saints of God are able to foretell coming events, and
I swear by that Loved One in the grasp of whose power my
soul lies that I know and could tell where and how I shall
be slain ' and who it is that shall slay me. And how glorious
and blessed a thing it is that my blood should be shed for
the uplifting of the Word of Truth 1
So AkA Seyyid YahyA, after he had believed and made
submission, took leave of the Bib, and set out from Shiriz
1 Some reflections of the author, which merely serve to
interrupt the continuity of the narrative, are here omitted.
8-2





I
116
THE NEW HISTORY.
for Yezd. For a while during the earlier period of lii,,-
mission lie expounded the BAb's doctrines only in gather-
ings of such as were prepared and fitted to hear tlieligi-
But afterwards, according to the purport of the verse-
11 Prudence and love can ne'er walk hand in hand,"
and the Yerse-
"Love htiid fair fai-ne nitist waue eternal war;
0 10A,er, halt not at the loved one's door
lie began openly to proclaiiii the truth, and converted a
great multitude, besides leading many who -had not reached
the stage of conviction and the haven of assurance to
profess devotion and agyinpatliy. At length, through the
officiotisigiess of certain lihieddlesome and mischievous per-
sons, the governor of Yezd was informed of what was taking
place. He, fearing for himself, sent a body of men to arrest
Seyyid Yal~yA. A trifling collision occurred between the
two parties, and thereupon the governor prepared to effect
his capture by force of arms.
Seyyid YaliyA retired with a number of his followers
and friends into the citadel of Yezd, while the myrmidons
of the governor surrounded it and commenced hostilities.
At length the matter came to actual warfare, in the course
of which some thirty or more Jof the governor's men and
the roghlies and vagabonds of the city who had joined them
were killed, while sevenj of AkA Seyyid Yahy6's followers
[were also slain. and the rest were besieged for soi-ihie time,
till some], unwilling to endure ffirther disaster, dispersed.
Seyyid YahyA therefore determined to set out for ShfrAz,
and said one night, " If one of you could manage to lead
out my liorase, so that I might escape this disaster, and
convey myself to some other place, it were not amiss."
One Hasaii by name, who bad been for some time in
I
i
I
I
I
I
i
I
I  i
SEYXID YAHYX RETURNS TO NfRfZ. 117
attendance on Seyyid Yahya4, and had displayed in his
service the utmost faithfulness and devotion (having wit-
nessed on the part of his august master inany a display of
miraculous and supernatural faculties), made answer, saying,
"With your permission, I will lead out the horse." "They
will capture and slay you," replied Seyyid Ya~y& " That,"





rejoined Hasan, "is easy to bear, if it be for I love of YOU2
and I have no ambition beyond it." So Seyyid YahyA
.suffered him to go, and, even as he had announced,;they
took the youth captive outside the citadel and brought him
before the governor, who ordered him to be blown from the
mouth of a cannon. When they would have bound him
with his back towards the gun, lie said, " Bind me, I pray
you, with my face towards the gun, that I may see it fired."
The gunners and those who stood by looking on were all
astonished at his composure and cheerfulness, and indeed
one who can be cheerful in such a plight must needs have
,great faith and fortitude.
Seyyid YaliyA, however, succeeded in effecting his
escape from the citadel with one other, and set out gfor
.SllirAz, whence he proceeded to Nfriz. After his departure
his followers were soon overcome by the governor. Several
of them were taken captive and put to death, wbile from
the rest, after they had suffered divers torments, fines of
money were exacted.
Now when Seyyid YahyA was come to Nfriz, where was
the abode of his family, and where lie had many adherents
(some of the country-folk being believers, others deniers,
and many halting undecided), the governor of that district,
though lie had formerly professed the most devoted attach-
ment, no sooner perceived that a struggle was imminent,
and that the government would pass out of his hands, than
lie sent word to Seyyid Yahyi saying, " I do not consider
it expedient that you should continue any longer in this





i
118
province. It is best that you should depart with all speed
to some other place." To this Seyyid Yahy& made reply,
" I have returned hither, after a prolonged absence, to learn
how matters fare, and to see my wife and family, neither. do
I wish to interfere with anyone. What makes you order
me to quit illy house, instead of affording me protection,
and observing towards me the respect which is my due?
Do you not fear God, and have you no sliame before His,
apo stle "
aw that Seyyid YaliyA heeded.
So when the governor s(
not his words and answered him sharply, lie was filled with
obstinate spite, and strove to raise a popular tumult, in-
citing si-icgli men of every class and kind as were most,
,vicked and mischievous to make a disturbance and drive
out Seyyid YahyA, who, perceiving this, repaired to the
mosque, and, after performing his devotions, entered the.
pulpit formerly occupied by his grandfather, and spoke asg
follows.
" Am I not lie whose opinions and prescriptions ye were,
wont to follow in all religious questions ? In your need&
and trials, as well as in all matters of doctrine and practice,
'used ye not to prefer illy word to that of any other ? Waas~
not lily belief, and the judgement which illy studies had led
me to form, the criterion of all your actions ? What has-,
collie to you that you meet iiie now with opposition and
eninity? What forbidden thing have I sanctioned, or what
lawful thing have I forbidden, that you thus without reasoiia
charge me with heresy and error ? I stand liere anioligst,
you wronged and oppressed for no other cause than that I
have, for your awakening and enlightenment, spoken true~
words and held faithful discourse, and that I have, out
of sympathy for you and desire for your welfare, made
known to you the way of salvation. This being so, let
each who slights or supports me know for a surety that,
THE NEW HISTORY.
i
I
I
BEGINNING OF THE NfRfZ WAR.
whatsoever lie does, lie does in regard to illy illustrious
ancestor'."
When he had spoken to this effect, some were sorry,
and some wept*bitterly, saying, "We still continue in our
former allegiance and devotion to you, and all that you
say we hold true and right."
Then Seyyid YahyA came forth from the mosque,
quitted the city, and alighted in a ruined castle hard by,
those friends who bore him company being not more than





seventeen in number. But even after lie had left the city
his malicious and ngiischievous persecutors ceased not from
their evil designs, for they followed bim with a great inulti-
tude, scouring the country in all directions until they dis-
covered his retreat. Thereupon they laid siege to the castle
and opened hostilities. Then Seyyid Ya~iyA commanded
seven of his men to go out and drive them away, and gave
them full instructions as to the ordering of the sally, adding
that whoever should occupy a certain station would be slain
by a wound in the breast, and that such as went in a certain
direction would return unhurt. One amongst those present,
a young lad of Yezd, good of heart and comely of coun-
teiiance, arose and said, "I pray you suffer igne to be the
pioneer of this nhiucli-wronged band and to precede illy
comrades in martyrdolu." And Seyyid YahyA kissed him
on the clieek, and breathed a prayer for him. Then the
defenders of the castle sallied swiftly forth, and attacked
that godless host of hypocrites, and ere long scattered them
and put them to flight. But the Yezdi lad, even as hiai
master had foretold, and lie had himself desired, drained
the draught of martyrdom, escaped from the bonds of earth'as
deceits, and gained the everlasting world and the life eter-
iial, But the rest returned victorious, having learned the
1 (Alf b. Abf Talib the first lm,,im.





120
THE NEW HISTORY.
meaning of "verily we belong to God, and unto Him do we
return.)y
At the very time when these events were in progress,
Prince Firitz MirzA' came to assume the government of
ShfrAz, and was informed of what had taken place. He at
once collected a considerable force, which he despatched
under the command of Mihr 'All KhAn
soil of HAjf Shukru'llAh KhAii of Nfir, and Mustafi-Kuli
KhAn KAragtizlfi, colonel, to subdue and take captive the
insurgents. When this force reached the castle, the number
of Seyyid Ya~yA's followers had increased to seventy.
Several encounters took place. between the two forces, and
on each occasion the BābÕs routed and dispersed their oppo-
nents and obtained possession of a goodly spoil. And all
this while the devotion, faith, and love of Seyyid YahyA's
companions were much increased by the many prodigies
which he wrought, so that each was fully prepared to lay
down his life. And when Seyyid YahyA had repeatedly
described to his COMPaDiOnS the circumstances of his ap-
proaching end, and all had, for the good pleasure of the
Beloved, washed their hands of life, and, quit of earthly
ties, were awaiting martyrdom, those who had come to take
them, being unable, notwitlistandina all their efforts, to
n
prevail by force of arms, and despairing of the final issue,
had recourse to treachery, and wrote to Seyyid Yahy6
expressing perplexity as to his mission, making excuses
for the past, declaring themselves to be desirous of enquir-
ing into the matter, and begging for instruction. They
further pledged them, with oaths plighted on the Word of
* [DfvAn-Begfl *
I Both C. and L. have 11 Prince Farbdd Mfrza'," an obvious
error. Cf. my Traveller's Narrative, vol. ii, pp. 183, and 257--8.
i
I
I
SURRENDER OF SEYYID YA1-IYA. 121
God, that if he would be good enough to come out to them,
they would agree to whatever terms he might propose.
So Seyyid YaVyA, out of respect for the Kur'ān <on
which they had sworn>, prepared to go forth. But his
followers surrounded him on every side, saying, " We are
fearful and anxious about your outgoing, for this host is
more faithless than the men of Kdfa'. No reliance can be
-placed on their oaths and promises, neither ought you to
believe their asseverations." To this Seyyid YahyA replied,
ic By God, I clearly perceive their perfidy, faithlessness, and
treachery, and I know it as well as my saintly ancestor'
knew the perfidy of the men of Ku'fa. But how can I resist





their wiles, these being in accord with divinely-appointed
destiny ? Because of what they have written and pledged
themselves on the Kur'Aii to perform, it is incumbent on
me to go and complete the proof Do you abide here till
you receive my written instructions." +TThen, having
wept a while with them, he mounted his horse and rode
forth.j+
So Seyyid Ya~yA came to the royalist camp, and there
alighted. And at first they treated him with all respect
and deference, [such respect as Ma'm-hn observed towards
the holy lm4,m 'Alf ibn Mfisi er-RizA while inwardly bent
on his death.] And they agreed to postpone all discussion
t[I'lien lie mounted his horse and took a last farewell
.of his companions, saying, " Verily we belong to God, and
verily unto Him do we return." And his followers wept
bitterly.] t
1 The people of KUM by their promises of support induced
the ImAni Huseyn to take up arms, but failed him in the day of
need.
2 ImAni Huseyn, from whom, as a Seyyid, Seyyid YahyA
claimed descent.





122
THE NEW HISTORY.
I
of teriihis till the morrow, a,,iiid spent that night in conversing
on various topics. But when morning was come, and
Seyyid YahyA would have gone forth from his tent, the
sentinels prevented him, saying, " It is not permitted to
you to go out." So he remained a prisoner in the tent.
No sooner had tidings of this reached Seyyid Yah.),A's
faithful followers than, unable to restrain themselves, they
emerged from their castle, hurled themselves upon the
centre of the army, and, in the space of one hour, threw
the whole camp into confusion. The officers, seeing this,
hastened into Seyyid YahyA's presence, saying, "Was it
not agreed between us last night that there should be peace
and concord?" "Aye," said lie, "but your conduct this
morning provoked this reprisal." "It was done without
our knowledge," answered they, " and without our sanction.
Some of our men, who have lost kinsmen and relatives in
this warfare, offered you this insult ignorantly and without
our knowledge. You, who are merciful and generous, must
overlook their fault." "What", quoth he, "would you
have me do?" "Write", said they, "to these men of
yours, bidding them evacuate the castle and return to their
own homes, that the minds of our soldiers may be re-
assured; and we will then arrange matters as you may deter-
nhiiiie, and act agreeably to your suggestions."
So S eyyid YahyA had no resource but to write to his
followers, " Come what may, you must submit to divinely-
ordered destiny; aihid meanwhile there is nothing for it but
that you should gather up your own gear, leaving the spoils
you have won exactly as they are, and return to your own
homes. Let us wait and see what God wills." So these
poor people, being constrained to obey his behest, departed
to their homes. But no sooner were they coiihie thither
than their foes attacked their houses, captured them singly,
carried off their goods as spoil, destroyed their dwellings,,
I
i
EXECUTION OF SEYYID YAHY~k. 123
and brought them in chains, bound hand and foot, to'the
camp.
Now there was with Seyyid YahyA a certain believer of
Yezd who had served him faithfully both at Yezd and
.L\'Irfz, renouncing all and suffering much for his,sake.~ And
when word was brought that the headsman was on his way
from the city charged with the execution of Seyyid YahyV,
this man began to make great lamentation. But his illus-
trious master said, " It is thee, not me, whom this heads-
man shall slay; he who shall slay me will arrive to-morrow."
When the morrow was come, about an hour after the time





of the morning prayer, he said again, "He who is to slay
.1) as-;
me is now come Shortly after this, a party offarr' he.
arrived and led out Seyyid YahyA and the Yezdf from the
tent. Then the headsmaii, just as Seyyid Yahyi had fore-
told, administered to the youth the draught of martyrdom
but, when his glance fell on Seyyid Yal.iyA, he said, " I am
asharned before the face of God's Apostle, and will -never
lift my hand to slay his offspring," neither would he, for all
their importunity, consent to do their bidding. Then one
who had lost two brothers in the earlier part of the war,
and therefore cherished a deep resentment, said, "I will
kill him." And he loosed the shawl wherewith Seyyid
Yahyi was girt, cast it round his neck, and drew it tight.
And others beat his holy body with sticks and stones,
dragging it hither ahd thither over the plain, till his soul
soared falcon-like to the branches of paradise. Then they
severed his head from his body, skinned it, stuffed it with
straw, and sent it, with other heads, along with the captives
to ShirAz. And they sent an announcement of their, victory
I L. has ein wqjh-i-_Rabb, "that Face of the Lord," ie. "that
apparition of the Divine." Wajlb (face, ngiask, apparition) was a
title assumed by the BAb, Ml'rzA YahyA &bli-i-Ezel, and, I think,,
others of the chief Bibis.





124
THE NEW HISTORY.
and triumph to Prince Nusratu'd-Dawlal, and fixed a day
for their entry <into Slifr6z>. And when oil the appointed
day they drew near, the city was decorated, and the people
were busy enjoying themselves ai ' id making merry, most of
them having come out froin the town to iihieet the victorious
troops and gaze oil the captives.
The late HAji Mfrzi Jilif writes :-" One Kfichak 'Alf
-<Beg>', the head-man and chief of the Bisirf' tribe of
ShfrAz, related as follows :-'After they had slain AkA
Seyyid YahyA, they came to take camels from our people,
intending to set the captives on bare-backed camels. I was
distressed at this, but could not resist the governor's order.
I therefore rode away fToin iigiy tribe at night and came to
SlifrAz, that at least I might not be amongst my people and
have to endure the insolence of the soldiers. When 1 was
come within half a parasang of SlifrAz, I lay down to sleep
for a while and so get rid of my weariness. When I again
mounted, I saw that the people of Shfriz had come out in
troops with minstrels and musicians, and were sitting
about in groups at every corner and cross-road, feasting
and making merry with wanton women. Oil every side I
noted with wonder drunken broils, wine-bibbing, the savour
of roasted meats, and the astrains of guitars and lutes.
Thus wondering I entered the city.
"'After a while, unable to endure the suspense, I de-
termined to go out and see what was taking place. [As I
1 The same Ffruz Alfrzi previously mentioned. L., constant
in its error, substitutes " Jfu'tamadn'd-Daula ", the title of
Prince Farhid AlfrzA, but this, as already observed, is a mistake.
2 L. omits, and C. reads "Nik", but this seems to be a mistake
for "Beg". The name occurs a little further on (in a passage
-omitted in C.) as here given in the text.
r5
3 The BAsirf is one of the Xhamsa (Arab) noniad tribes of
Fars and LdristAn. See Curzon's Persia, vol. ii, p. 114.
i
THE MkBf CAPTIVES ENTER SHfRAZ. 125
came forth from the gate, I heard an old man asking anotherp I
" What has happened to-day that the people have thus left
their houses and gone out of the -town as though to see
some great sight, and why do -they thus make merry? "
The other, a youth, replied, " You must surely be a stranger
not to know about the heretic who renounced our faith and
creed and rebelled against His Majesty the King, and how
a great force of troops was sent against him. Well, they
have taken and slain him, and made captive his family and
his followers, whom they will bring into the city to-day."
" By which gate," asked the old man, will they ellter?"
"By Sa'di's gate," answered the other.





["'He was a wise old man,' continued Klhchak 'Alf Beg,
and had seen the world and read its history!' As soon
as I had heard what passed between him and the youth,
it at once recalled to me the story of Sahl ibn Si'id, how
he questioned the man of Damascus, and how just such a
dialogue ensued, and how the latter said, " They will enter
Damascus by the gate of SA'At'." I was much struck by
I The narrator means, I suppose, to imply that the old man,
struck by the resemblance between the episodes of Nfrfz and
Kerbela', intentionally asked this question to bring out this
resemblance more clearly.
2 In illustration of this narrative, I subjoin the translation of
a passage occurring in a manuscript collection of ta'ziya8 belong-
ing to the University Library of Cambridge (Add. 423, f. 631):-
"It is related on the authority of Ibn 'AbbAs that Sahl-i-Silidf
related as follows:-'I had gone on business to Damascus. One
day I arrived at a village in the neighbourhood of Damascus. I
found that orders had been issued for the village to be decorated,
and that the people were flocking out as though to see some
sight, with rejoicings and beatings of drams and kettle-drums. I
said to myself, " Surely these people must have some festival not
common to other men." I asked one what was toward. 'He
replied, "0 Sheykh, art thou then an Arab of the desert?" I





126
THE NEW HISTORY.
the coincidence, and my wonder increased. When I had
gone asompwliat further,] I saw such feastings and rejoicings
as I had never before witnessed. Most of the men were
engaged in sports and games, making merry and toying
with their lemans. After a little while I saw approaching
the camels, whereon there were set some forty or fifty
women. TMany of the soldiers bore on their spears the
severed heads of the men they had slain.J And till this
time the, towns-folk had been busy with their nierry-
makings, but no sooner did their eyes fall on the severed
heads borne aloft on spears and the captives-set on bare-
backed carnels than they incontinently biirast into tears.
cc C So they brought the captives thus into the bazaars,
which had been decorated and adorned, and though it was
no great distance from the bazaars to the citadel, yet such
was the throng of spectators (who purposely retarded the
passage of the captives) that it was after mid-day when
they reached the governor's palace. The Prince was hold-
im, a pleasnre-party in the surnmer-liouse called KuNih-i-
Firangt` and the garden adjoining it, lie sitting on a chair,
and the nobles and magnates of the city standing. On one
[Aiid by the side of each camel and captive was a
severed head stuck on the point of a spear.]
,ans am Salil-i-Silid' , m an our
, wered, " I i, and one of the co p ions of
Holy Prophet." The man heaved a sigh and began to weep and
make lhlmentation, saying, " It is wonderful that the heavens
do not rain down blood at this calamity." Then said 1, "Speak
more clearly." Then quoth lie, " The people of Damascus are
rejoicing and making merry over the blessed head of Irn-6tin
HLiseyii which they of 'Indtk have sent to Yizfd." I said, " From
which gate of the city will they bring forth that head?" He
answered, "From the Gate of S6'At."...'"
I "The European's bat." This surnmer-house was still stand-
ino, when I was at Shfriz in the Spring of 1888.
n
a
THE B~klif WOMEN BEFORE THE PRINCE  127
side was drawn a curtain, behind which hthe women of the
a,
Prince's household were ensconced. And the captives [all
bound to one chain] were led in this sad plight into the
garden and brought before the Prince. Then Mihr 'Alf
Khin, MÕrzā Na'im', and the other officers recounted their
exploits and their glorious victory, with various versions
and many embellishments, to the Prince, who on his part
kept enquiring the names, rank, and family of the captives,
and throwing in an occasional, "Who is this?" and "Which
is that?" And all the captives were women, with the ex-





ception of one child four or five years of age who was with
them. "[And that sickly child was in truth a partaker of
the sufferings of these unfortunate women.
[" 'Now when the conversation had,been protracted-
for a long while, suddenly a very tall woman who was
amongst the captives cried out, " 0 son of MarjAna', hast
thou no fear of God and no shame before my ancestor'
that thou thus lookest on -his offspring before all these
strange men?"" Here K-ftchak 'Alf Beg would add an
oath as lie continued, 'The woman's words produced such
an effect on the hearts of those who were present that had
*JThen they dismissed the captives from the Prince's
presence, and, as it would seem, appointed them lodgingsg
in a caravansaray.1
1 See Traveller's Narrative, vol. ii, pp. 259-261.
2 i.e. Shimar ibn Jawshan, one of the murderers of IMAM
]Uuseyn. See Sir Lewis Pelly's Miracle Play of Hasan and
Huseyn, vol. ii, p. 258, and Tabarf's Annales, series ii, vol. i, p.
377,1. 6.
3 The Prophet Muhammad, or his cousin and son-ih-law 'Alf
b. Abi Talib, from whom the woman, as belonging toa family of
Seyyids, claimed descent.
4 ie. men beyond the circle of those whose nearness of
kinship to a woman eigititles them to look on her unveiled.'





128 THE NEW HISTORY. I THE SECOND NfRfZ WAR. 129 g
the sight-seers and townsfolk been there and witnessed.
what took place there would assuredly have been a dis-
turbance and revolt. The Prince first ordered the woman
to be killed, but afterwards, seeing the temper of the
bystanders greatly changed, he grew apprehensive, and-
ordered the captives to be diiinissed.]*"'
On the night when the raid had been made oil ther
houses of the faithful <at Nfrfz> and they were taken
captive, twelve persons had succeeded in effecting their
escape. These, however, were subsequently captured in
Ithe neighbourbood ofj Isfaliki and brought to Shfriz,
where they suffered martyrdom.
But besides all this, tTas it would seem two years
later,lt they again waged a strangely protracted mountain
warfare with the believers <of Nfrfz>, who, because of the
cruelties and exactioDs to which they were subjected, were
for a long while in hiding in the mountains with their
wives and children. -
jThis struggle lasted for a long while ; and that little
band, hemmed in as they were in their mountain fastness,
succeeded in holding their ground until a mighty host of
regular troops and volunteers from far and near bad been
gathered against them, and they had fought many a hard
fight, and won many a gallant victory. Often would a
company of seven or nineteen men come down with cries
of " Y6 8611 ib it'z-zamcitn 1 attack a battery, cut down all
who opposed them, capture the gun, and bear it away with
them to the mountain, where they would mount it oil a
t . ' '
,~after a tim(
Plie BAbis ~~,o)Tjlallt most gallantly and were always
victorious, until it 0 length, after a desperate resistance,
they were overcome, and suffered martyrdom. Their perse-
1 11 0 Lord of tihieAge!"Cf.j)j).69and7d4,s?ip?,a.
tree trunk and fire it morning and evening against the
camp. At other times they would make night-attacks on
certain suburbs of Nfriz inhabited by God's enemies, num-
bers of whom they would send to the abyss of hell-fire.
At such times none could withstand thein, or do aught but
choose between submission and flight.
t
TNOW Zeynu'l-'Abidfn Khin the governor of Nfriz had
taken the chief part in bringing about all these troubles.
He it was who had compassed the death of the much-
wronged Seyyid Ya~yA in the first war; he it was who
devised most of the stratagems, tactics, dispositions, and
arrangements of the army; lie it was who, both in the first
and the second war, provoked strife for the sake of securing
his position as governor and winning approval from the
government; he it was, in short, who had driven away the





BAbis from their homes and possessions, and caused them
with their wives and families to be beleaguered in the
mountains. So one day when this honourable governor
had gone to the bath, the insurgents attacked the baffi and
slew him.
TBut reinforcements of men and guns sent in rapid
succession by Prince TalimAsp MÕrzā (at that time governor
of FArs) continued to arrive and occupy the rising ground
adjoining the mountain. Yet, notwithstanding the great-
ness of their host and the -small number of the-besieged,
they did not venture to ascend the mountain and attack
cutors, having captured and killed the men, seized and
slew forty women and children in the following manner.
They placed them in the midst of a cave, heaped up in the
cave a vast quantity of firewood, poured naptitha over the
faggots strewn around, and set fire to it. One of those
who took part in this deed related as follows:-" After two
or three days I ascended that mountain and removed the
door from the cave. I saw that the fire had sunk down
N. H.
9





130
THE NEW HISTORY.
them. Even in their camp they were ill at case because of
the night-attacks and sudden onslaughts made UPOD them
by parties of their antagonists ten or twenty strong. These,
as is related, would oft-times rush into the camp, attack
the artillery, slay the gunners, and return, pushing the
guns with their shoulders, till they reached the mountain.
Then, because the gun-carriages would go no further, they
would dismount the guns, and, with shoulders and ropes,
push and drag them up the mountain. There they would
remount them on tree-trunks in place of carriages.
JSo when the royalist troops saw that they could effect
nothing, they sent into SAbAuAt, DArAb, and the other
<listricts round about Nfrfz, and commanded the tribes to
furnish as many marksmen and warriors as could be inus-
tered, that these might surround the mountain oil all sides
and storin it after their own fashion of warfare. And when
this had been done there were, besides the regular troops
deputed for this task, nearly ten tlloiiasaiid horse and foot
of tile people of FArs, the tribesmen, and other.-,. These
ascended tile mountain oil every side and made a simul-
tancous attack <oil different points of the position occupied
by the insurgents>. The BābÕs, men and women alike,
defended tliei-na-,elves most gallantly, and everywhere dis-
played, both in defence and attack, the itioast desperate
courage, until most of them were aslaiii, and the few sur-
vivors, having exhausted their powder and shot, were taken
into the ashes - but all those women with their children
were seated, each in sol'fl'e corner, clasping their little ones
to their bosoms, and sitting round in a circle, just as they
were <When we left them>. Some, as though in despair
or in mournina had suffered their heads to sink down oil
their knees in garief, and all retained the postures they had
assumed. I N~'as filled with amazement, thinking that the
fire had not burned them. Full of apprehension and awe
I
THE SECOND NfRfZ WAR.
131
prisoners. Then the people, swarming over the mountain
on all sides, seized the grief-stricken and distracted women
whose husbands had been slain, and brought them, together
with a few little children, to the camp ; and we call a Well
guess the treatment to which these women and children were
there subjected. After that the host of Jocal auxiliarieas
dispersed, while the regular troops broke, up their camp,
and, carrying with them their prisoners, and the severed
heads of the men, set out for ShfrAz, which in due course
they reached.
JTbe above brief narrative of these events is what the
illustrious Nabil, tile reviser of this poor history of mine,





heard when he passed through Nfriz from certain aged folk
who had survived that time and had full knowledge of all
that took place. And in truth the events of the second
struggle were by many degrees stranger and more remark-
able than those of the first, which took place in Seyyid
YahyA's lifetime.12 But -at that time the -BAbis were
subject to so rigorous a persecution, and matters went so
hard with them, that none dared so much ~ as ;utter their
name, or allude to them in any way, or enquire aught
I entered. Tilen I saw that all were bur h ned and chagrred to
a cinder, yet had they never made a movement which
would cause the crumbling away of the bodies. As soon
as I touched them with -my hand, however, they crumbled
away to ashes. And all of us, when we had seen this,
repented what we had done. But of what avail was this?"]
I I have relegated L.'s version to the foot of the page rather
as a matter of convenience than because I am disposed to regard
it a-, an interpolation. Indeed the longer narrative given by C.
would seem, from the closing words, to have been a subsequent
addition to the original text. Concerning MÕrzā Muliammad
Nabil of Zarand, called al-akhras ("the tongue-tied"), see iny
Traveller's Yarrative, p. 357 and note 5 at the foot of that page.
9-2





132
THE NEW HISTORY.
concerning the,,,. The full narrative of these events, there-
fore, would greatly exceed what is here recorded, but the
epitome of them here set forth is all that could be ascer-
tained. And these details. were for the most part related
by persons who were not believers, though candid and
truthful after their own fashion. E(xcellence is that
whereuntoftes testify."
Even this brief summary, however, will suffice for the
information of unprejudiced persons. The right of the
matter is, indeed, sufficiently indicated by a tradition of
JAbir, who, speaking of the promised Proof, says, "In him
shall be the perfection of Moses, the p2-ecio?ts?zegss of Jesus,
and the patience of Job ; his saints shall be abased in M6
time, and their heads shall be exchanged as I)resen ts, even as
the heads o the Turk avd the Deylamite are exchmiged as
prese??.ts; they shall be slain and burned, and shall be
afraid, fearfid, and dismayed; the earth shall be dyed
with their blood, and lanzeiitataioit and wailing shall prevail
amongst their women; these are -my saints indeed
Glory be to God! A thousand years before this Mani-
festation the signs and tokens whereby its saints might be
distiigigtiished were thus explicitly declared by the lm6ms
of our holy religion for the information of this misguided
people and their deliverance from error. The fulfilment
of these foreshadowings is now clearly seen ; yet still the
majority of mankind, so blinded are they by wilful preju-
dice, refuse to recognize this, and pay no heed to the
accomplishing of the prophecy handed down by tradition
from the ImAms of old. Yet have they clearly seen or heard
]low the heads of these true believers were sent as presents
from country to country, how they were slain and burned,
how their wives and children and those of their households
I See my Traveller's Narrative, vol. ii, p. 259.
REFLECTIONS ON THE NfRfZ EPISODE. 133-
were led captive from city to city, and how, just as the
ImAms foretold, tile earth was dyed with their blood. Yet
do many, accounting as sound reason their own erring and
wilful judgments, stigmatize as misguided or mad men such,
as these, who were in truth kings in the spiritual world,
gracious proofs of the Point of Unity, exemplars of .'Iwas
,a hidden Treasure, and I desired to be known, therefore: 1
created creation that I might be known 1,' to whom; moreover,'
such words as 'These are my saints indeed' were addressed.
And the greatest marvel is that before those who believed
in this sublime and holy faith had embraced the,, new
doctrine all men readily admitted their virtue, leaming,
sincerity, integrity, wisdom, and piety, and allowed them
to be incontestably superior to their contemporaries in
austerity of life, godliness, intelligence, and good, works.





Thus Seyyid Ya~yA, for example, was confessedly one of
the most eminent doctors of Islim, being remarkable not
only for his asingular holiness of life, but for his rare insight.
and miraculous faculties. Whenever he entered any town
within the lands of IslAin he was met by all the divines,
nobles, and great men of the district, and was brought into
the city with every mark of deference and respect. It was
considered an honour to serve him, and atwhatever houseg
he alighted the owner thereof would glory over his fellows.
In short, all men regarded his asociety as a privilege, i and
converse with him as a legitimate cause for pride, ~ But
when he had, after most careful and diligent enquiry,.
recognized the Lord of the world, and, actuated only by a
desire to please God, set himself to save from error those
who still wandered in the wilderness of heedlessness and
deluasion, and to guide them into the haven of peace and
1 This well-known tradition, according to Mubarnmadan belief,
embodies God'as answer to David's question, "0 Lord, wherefore
didst tbou create the world?"





134 THE NEW HISTORY.
assurance, then, because bat-like they hated tho light of
Truth, they acted according to their evil nature and their
ancient custoin, and, in return for his charity towards them,
stirred -up strife and blood-shed, persecuted and afflicted
him, stuffed his holy head with straw as though it had
been the head of a Turcoman 1, Belfich, or Deylainf, and
bore it from town to town. Then, just as the holy ImAins
had foretold, they grievously afflicted and slew his friends
and followers, cruelly burned their bodies with fire, and
sent their heads as a show and a gift from land to land,
as though to say, " This is the meaning of 'Love's portion
is affliction" and this the way of such as are permitted to
draw near to the courts of God!
'The guest whose place is highest in this banquet
ZD
They ply most often with the wine of woe."'
So they acted as they had done of yore in the time of
God's Apostle, dealing with these sorely afflicted people as
they dealt with the Chief of -Martyrs' and his followers on
the plain of KerbelA, and as they had erst dealt with the
Holy Spirit of God' and his disciples. But the cruelty,
hardness of heart, and unbelief which they had displayed to-
wards Moses and the other prophets of bygone tinie appeared
in this Manifestation with redoubled intensity, revealing to
all discerning persons the infidelity which permeated every
recess of these inen's being. For just as in every previous
age they slandered the prophets and saints, accounting it
a work of inerit to slay them, burn them, saw them asunder,
and crucify theiigi in blind obedience to their priests' coi-n-
mand; just as they reviled, cursed, and rejected them, and
1 Cf. Eastwick's Diplognate's Residence in Persia, vol. ii, pp.
55-56.
2 Imaim Huseyn.
3 Jesus Christ, called by the Atuhangimadaiis'l~ft/?u'll(i./b', "the
Spirit of God".
ACCOUNT OF THE SIEGE OF ZANJ.~N. 135
convened assemblies to devise means for the shedding of
their blood ; just as they set in order proofs for the justifi-
cation of their own assertions and actions, and arguments
for the falsity of the claim advanced by those who an-
nounced themselves to be God's messengers; just as they
accounted their miracles naught but magic or jugglery, and
their revelations mere tales and " fables'of the ancients',"'
so in this Manifestation did they say and do more than
2
ever they had said or done in days of yore.
[Account of the Catast)-ophe of Zanjan, and q
.f His
Excellency 01hd1d 31uhammad 'AU 'Hujjatu'l-IslAm', who
bejbre the -41-a)?ifestatioii held the doctrine of the Akhba'rz's*





his conversion and public appearance in,Zanjain, and how
he laid down his life.]
Now after the Nfrfz catastrophe came the siege of
Zanj6ii and the martyrdom of Mulli Muhammad Alf
Zanjinf, a inoa-,t devout, learned and pious divine, whose
power of mind and holiiieasa-, of aspirit made him heedless of
* [He was' summoned to TeherAn several times. Never
had the eye of time beheld so incomparably learned a
doctor. One night the late Hiji Mimi AkAsf assembled a
concourse of divines, all of whom he silenced and discomfited.
He was ordered to remain in TeherAn, but after the death
of Muhammad Shdh he returned to Zanj in.] "
1 Kur'ain, vi, 25; viii, 31; xvi, 26; &c.
2 L. appends to this narrative three couplets from the'Mas-
navf as a; conclusion.
13 These words, included in the title, written partly in red
ink, which L. prefixes to the narrative of the ZanjAn rising, are-
relegated to the foot of the pacre because the do not in truth
1.3  y
partake of the nature of a title at all, but rather of a note which
has become incorporated in the text.





136 THE NEW HISTORY.
men's opinion, and to whom most of the people of ZanjAn
professed a devoted allegiance.'
t[Aild the manner of his conversion was as follows.
He was endowed with supernatural faculties, and foretold
the approaching Manifestation to the people of Zaiiiin
seventeen years before it took place, so that all were ex-
pecting it and keeping count of the years. And when at
length the year of the Lord's Manifestation was come, lie
a  -hadf Ahmad by name to Slifriz with several
sent one Mash
letters, in answer to which several epistles were brought
back. On the day when Mash-hadf Ahmad reached
Zanjdn, bearing nineteen epistles addressed to nineteen
different persons, Mul1A Muhammad 'Alf announced his
return, wherefore a great multitude assembled in the
mosque. Then MullA Muhammad 'Alf, when he had per-
formed the prayers, went up into the pulpit and said, " Lo,
even as I promised you the Sun of Truth has appeared an~l
slione forth ! " And lie invited the people <to embrace
tISince to describe in detail the circumstances of his
conversioihi, and how, with much caution and hesitation,
and after igiianifold striviiio,,a3 and a-,earcliiiigs of heart, he
made profession of his faith, would render our narrative
unduly prolix, and divert us from our original purpose, we
must of necessity confine ourselves to a bare statement of
the facts. One day, soon after the Manifestation had taken
place, while lie was engaged in lecturing to an attentive
audience of students and men of learning, one entered, and
handed to him a letter. No sooner had he perused it
I Here begins the first important divergence between the
texts of C. and L. The full and detailed account of the Zanjin
siege given by the latter I have, as a matter of convenience,
placed in the body of this work, although it appears to be an
interpolation added by one 'A'rif ; the meagre version. of the
former, which still supplies us with some new facts, at the foot of
the page.
t
CONVERSION OF MULLk MUHAMMAD 'ALf. -137
the new doctrine>, such of them as lie deemed capable of
receiving it, in secret; and sometimes he would say openly,
"The author of these verses claims to be the 114b, as < in
the tradition> 'I am the City of Knowledge, and 'Alf is
its Gate."' And he appointed one Mash-hadf Iskandar his
messenger, and he used to wait upon the Bib and bring
epistles <from him>. And so matters continued till they
.brought the BAb through Zanjin on his way to MAkfi.
The people, being apprized of this, gathered in crowds to
see him, but Mulli Muhammad 'Ali rest-rained them, and
wrote <to the BAb > as follows :-" May we be thy sacrifice!
Do you grant us permission to assemble in force and deliver





you out of the hands of the escort, or to enjoy the honour
of waiting upon you ? " This letter he concealed inside
a cucumber, which he placed in a basket with several other
cucumbers, and sent to the caravansaray. The guards
wished to seize it, but <the messenger> would not give
it up. At -that moment the BAb came out from his room
and said, " Give up the cucumbers and come with me."
It was Mash-hadf Iskandar who had brought the cucumbers,
than the signs of a most extraordinary perturbation of
mind appeared in him, and so much disquieted was he that
lie could not continue his lecture, and was forced to make
his excuses to his audience. 'Fllea-,e, therefore) dispersed,
.save some few intimates, who remained and pressed him to
make known to them the cause of his disquietude. In
reply lie sliewed them the letter, saying, " The writer of
these vera,3es claims to be the BAb, and, so far as my know-
ledge enables me to judge without prejudice, they do not
resemble mere human words." This letter, in brief, led
him to make earnest search and enquiry; and, when he
himself was fully convinced, he began to impart his belief
to others. As his heart waxed stronger, and love gained
fuller sway over him, he grew by degrees less prudent and
cautious, and publicly preached the new faith to God's





I
138 THE NEW HISTORY.  I
and lie thereupon gave them to the guards and himself
followed the BAb. Then the BAb, without having seen the
letter, wrote in answer to it as follows:-- Your project
accords not with expediency,, for to-day strife is not - ap-
proved. Moreover they have summoned you to Telierdii,
and the governor has already despatched horseiigien to set
you on the road" (as will be described in connection with
the Bib's journey). Now a-,ince MullA Mul ' yaminad 'Ali
previously to the Manifestation had been an AklibArf', and
was continually engaged in disputations with the divines
and lawyers, these had appealed against him to Teherdai,
and lie had five times been summoned thither, kept for a,
while, and then suffered to depart, so that this was the
sixth time. For even as the BAb was setting out again,
r~-
horsemen came and bore away MullA Muhaininad 'Ali to
Telievin. There the late HAjf Mfrza AkAsf assembled
together the doctors that lie might dispute with them.
And when lie had silenced and discomfited thein all, they
afterwards again complained, declaring that he was stirring
up sedition in ZaiijAii. So they detained him in Teherin.
servants, till at lenth Ainfr A,~Uii Klidn the governor <Of
Zanjan> was inade acquainted with the iihiatter. He, fearing
for himself, at once took measures to safeguard his au-
thority, and forwarded to MÕrzā Muhaimnad Tak, KhAn
A nu'll- i-.ffab h- a garbled account of tfie affair; for* lip, was
fearfhlil lest anotglier should acquire more influence than he
possessed, and so his authority and consideration should
be weakened. In consequence of his representations, Seyyid
'Alf KhAii, Lieutenant- Colonel, of Ffrfizkllh, received the
royal command to proceed with a numerous body of horse
and foot to ZaiijAn, and to arrest MullA Muhammad 'Alf,
who had retired with his followers (nearly five thousand
in number) to the citadel. On his arrival, Seyyid 'Alf KhAn
I For an account of the Akhba'rfs, see Gobineau's Religions
1116ilosoplties &c., p. 28 etseq.
AIULL,~ MUHAMMAD 'ALf IN TEHERiN. 139
[One night 1, by name 'Arif, entitled Zabih, in company
with Sheykh AbU' TurAb, met him at the abode of the
Most Precious Appearance' (the soul of the world be his
sacrifice !), and enjoyed the opportunity of observing his
virtues and knowledge. He there said, "Before the Mani-
festation I had no faith in Sheykh Ahmad Lahs.4'f' and
HAJf Seyyid KAzim, but His Supreme Holiness wrote that
they were men whom lie held in high consideration, so I
now account myself their slave." And he would read the
Bib's writings and verses, and weep over them. And he
was lionoured with an epistle from MAkfi in which the BAb
wrote as follows :- " Muhammad ShAh is about to die.





Do not you go away anywhere, but remain in TeherAn."
So he remained in TeherAii till Muhammad Shdh died and
His Majesty NAsiru'd-Dfn Shili entered the capital. Then
he waited upon the young king, who received him with
lionour, and was well pleased that he, being a prisoner <at
large>, had not gone away; and asked him why he had not
laid siege to the citadel, and thus was the fire of strife
kindled, and day by day the number of those slain on
either side increased, until at length he suffered an igno-
minious defeat and was obliged to ask for reinforcements
from the capital. The government wished to send JaTar-
Kulf KhAn, Lieutenant-Colonel, the brother of I'tignadu'd-
Dawla, but lie excused himself, - and said to <Mfrzi Takf
KhAn> Ann'2--i-KaUr, " I am not an Ibn ZiyAd' to go a~d
make war on a band of Seyyids and men of learning of
whose tenets I know nothing, though I should be
I Tal'at-i-Abh6; ie. Affrza' Huseyn'Alf Behdll'u'lldh.
2More commonly, and, apparently, more correctly, Ahsd'i.
Cf, Traveller's _Xarrative, Vol. ii, p. 234.
3 (Ubeydu'llih ibn ZiyAd, the governor of Kiffa under Muldviya,
and Yazid, whom, by reason of his severities and cruelties towards
the Imdni Huseyn and his friends and followers, the Shilites,
regard with singular detestation.





140
THE NEW HISTORY.
done so. " I awaited the honour of appearing before Your
Majesty," replied lie. So the king gave him permission to
depart. Din Mubaminad', who was always with him, ob-
served to him, " Now that you have the king's permission
to depart, there is no object in your remaining." So lie
departed from the capital.
[On the other hand Mash-hadi Iskandar came to ZanjAn,
bringing a number of epistles. Thence he came to Kazvfii,
intending to come to TeherAn. But in Kazvin they arrested
him with his letters, and sent him to TeherAn, where lie
suffered martyrdoin. Then the king was sorry that he had
suffered MullA Muhammad 'Ali to depart.
[But on the other hand, on the day when MullA Allu-
hammad 'Ali reached ZanjAn a great multitude caine out
to meet him, and they slew in his lionour as many as four
hundred beasts'. The clergy were jealous, and wrote an
enough to fight With RUaS.SiallS, Jews, or other infidels."
Other officers besides him shew-ed a disinclination to take
part in this war. Amongst these was Mir Seyyid Huseyn
KhAn of FirfizkAh, whom <MÕrzā Taki KhAn> the Ainh,
dismissed and disgraced so soon as lie became acquainted
with his sentiments. So also many of the officers who
This name, in the earlier part of Us narrative, appears as
I at first conjectured that it should be DdVi ffu/iammad;
the title Da'i (uncle) being not uncommonly prefixed to the
names of Persians. But an old Ba'bf, now resident at Famagusta,
who was in ZaDjin during the siege (though he was then but a
child of 11) wrote the name for me as Din Ifilham2nad or Dln-i-
Muhammad which spelling I therefore adopt. The
name also occurs in this form in the latter part of LA narrative.
2 It is Customary in Persia to sacrifice sheep or other animals
before a great man returning from a journey, especially when he
reaches his own town. Cf. Traveller's Narrative, p. 326 and foot-
note.
ATTEMPTED COMPROMISE.
1 141
account of the matter to TeherAn. Instructions Were : sent
to His Excellency Majdu'd-Dawla either to g pacify the
clergy, or to arrest and send <to the capital> Mulli Mu-
hanimad 'Alf. His Excellency _41afflu'd-Dawla sent the
order to. MulU Muhammad 'Alf, and summoned him to
appear. Mull.4 Muhammad 'All said to his friends, " Let
two hundred men accompany me." So they girded on their
swords, and went with him and Din Muhammad to the
audience-liall of .41~.tjdit'd-Dct?gi~,la, and there remained with-
out, awaiting instructions. _41~7jdu'd-Dawla treated Mulli
Muhammad 'Alf most respectfully, and they agreed that the
followers of the latter should pay treble taxes so that the
governor ) s men might refrain from molesting them, and that





any one of the believers who did wrong should be sent be-
fore him. Then J1ajdu'd_Daw1a wrote to TeherAn declaring
that be had effected a reconciliation, and further requested
Mulki Muhammad'Alf not to repair to the mosque. So lie
uased to pray and to preach in his own house.
Were <of the sect of the> 'Alf-1161ifs, although they went
to the war, withdrew from it when they learned more of
the matter. For their chief had forbidden them to fight,
and therefore they fled. For it is written in their books
that when the soldiers of Wirin shall come to the capital of
the king, then the Lord of the Age (whom they call God)
shall appear; and this prophecy was now accomplished.
They also possess certain poems' which contain the date
1 The Ba'bfs profess to find in certain verses of several of the
mystic poets, notably ShAh Ni'matu'llih, HAfiz, and Pir of
Ardistain, foreshadowings of the Bdb's appearance. This is
especially the case with the first of these three, who is said to
have foretold the year (A.H.) 1260 as the year of the Malidi's
coming. This verse was shewn to me at Kirmhn, but when I
consulted the copy of Shah Ni'matu'llAh's works kept at his
shrine at MAhin I found that a different date was there given.





+142 THE NEW HISTORY.
[At that time came the news of <what was taking place in> MAzandarin, and MullA Muhammad 'Alf said to his
followers, "Let us equip ourselves and set oft' thither." But an epistle arrived < from the BAb > saying, " I t will ,
come to you there." One night one of the believers had spoken ill of the clergy in his own house. The neighbours
came by night and strangled him, and left him for dead; but lie was not dead. Din Muhammad was informed of this.
He at once went to the man's house, taking with him thirty of his followers. They found the man still living, and in the
morning brought him before 111ajdit'd-Dawla, who, however, paid no heed to their suit. So the BAbis went to Mulli
Muhaiigiiiiad 'Alf and said, "Because you remain within your house and go not to the mosque, our eneinies have
waxed bold." He answered, "Tell the believers to muster in force tomorrow, that I may eoihnplete the proof, and
afterwards go to the mosque." So his friends asseiiibled. Then lie addressed them as follows:-" You wish me to go
to the mosque. Do you not know that there will be a disturbance, that our enemies will make a riot, that there will be
slaughter and spoiling, that they will send word to TelierAii, and that guns and mortars will be brought against you ?
" All replied, " We are ready to lay down our lives." So he took from them an oath of allegiance, and said, " Bid all
the people of the city and those of the neighbouring villages come to the mosque on Friday, for
of the Manifestation, and these too came true. So they were convinced that this was the Truth become manifest,
and begged to be excused from taking part iii the war, which thing they declared themselves unable to do. And <to
the BābÕs> they said, " In siibsequent conflicts, when the framework of your religion sliall have gathered strength,
we will help you." In short, when the officers of the army perceived in their opponents naught but devotion,
godliness,
WAR BREAKS OUT AT ZANJIN. +143 g
public prayer on Friday is obligatory."' So they bade them ; and about four or five thousand asa-,embled and
sacrificed about a hundred head of beasts'. Thus hoiiourably did MullA Muhammad 'Alf come to the mosque. And
when prayers were concluded he preached to them, - and then returned to his house. And His
Excellency0fajdu'dDawla and the'clergy were filled with apprehensions. h
[One day one 'Abdu'l-'Alf by name, a Bibi, had a quarrel in the market-place with certain of the enemy. These
complained to the governor, who sent and arrested him, and cast him into prison, contrary to the agreement <made
between himself and MullA Muhammad 'Alf>. The. BAbis represented this to MuIIA Muhammad 'Alf. : He sent a
message to .31afflu'd-Dawla, saying, "Yield us up our man, and let them bring him to us." But he sought excuse,,
and said ' "The vizier imprisoned him; I 1now nothing about it." So they told this to Mulli Muhammad 'Alf. Then he
said, " Let them go to the priasoii and ~ bring him forth." So the BAbis went and brought him out from. the gaol.
 [Theii the clergy sent to Vajdit'd-Dawla, saying, " Thou
art no longer governor; the actual governor is.Dfn Mul~am-
mad." Thereupon 01ajdu'd-Dawla ordered proclamation. to
be made that all who were BābÕs should ' withdraw to one
side <of the towii>-; ahnd the bazaars were closed. And
whosoever of the faithful had his dwelling:on that side <of
and piety, some wavered in secret, and did not put forth their full strength in the war. Therefore was the duration of
the siege greatly protracted. Now the BābÕs, in whose hands was iihiore than half the city, erected nineteen
rainparts. And they had thirty captains, over all of whom. Din Muhammad held an. unquestioned supremacy. In
each redoubt nineteen devoted men who had bidden farewell to
I See note 2 on p. 140 supra.





144 THE NEW HISTORY.
the town> abandoned it and came to this side, and so like-
wise did the enemy. Thus were the true and the false
separated from one another; and the number of the BābÕ&
was about five thousand.
[That night His Excellency fflajdu'd-Dawla quitted
Khamsa' to go into the surrounding country and collect
troops.
[Such was the position till Friday the first of the month
of Rajab, A.H. 1266'. On that day MuIIA Muhammad 'Alf
summoned Din Muhammad, and said to him, Take two
hundred men and go to the house of Mash-hadf Karim the
powder-maker, seize whatever powder he has, and bring it
away with you." So they went and brought it. Now the
enemy had arranged to go to the mosque and seize MullA
Muhammad 'Alf and take him prisoner. Near noon a ser-
vant brought word that they had surrounded the mosque on
all sides. Sheykh SAlili was in the mosque, and him, with
flattery and a show of weakness, they succeeded in seizing.
But lie clapped his hand to the hilt of his sword, and,
crying out, " Y4 86hib it'---z(gtma'it'! " attacked them. The
life kept watch and ward, and one of these was captain
over the others, and according to his bellests and forbid-
diijgs did they act. Five times each night did they pray
and read or chant the sacred texts of the now dispensation
with sweet and strange utterance. Then one amongst
1 Khanisa is the small province or district of which Zaiijain is
the capital.
2 May 13th, A.D. 1850. L. has "1267", which is certainly a
mistake (though the ist of Rajab in that year did actually fall
on a Friday), as is clearly proved by unimpeachable testimony.
Cf. my first paper on the Bibfs in the J. R. A. S. for 1889, pp.
511-512 and 524, and-my Traveller's Narrative, vol. ii, pp. 186-
187.
3 Cf. pp. 69 and 74 supra.
SKIRMISH OF RAJAB 1ST.
145
enemy laughed,that one should think to fight with so great
a host, but on the other side one Mash-hadf Haydax also
rushed to attack them. Pah1avAn Asadu'lldh Zirih-pftsh
had fallen upon Mash-hadf Haydar, when Sheykh ~Alih
smote him on the head, so that the blow sbore through his
hat and clave his skull to the brow. Then all the enemy
drew their swords and charged. AkA Mir Silih had wounded
four men, when the other Bdbis rushed to the attack with
cries of " Yd 8d14bU'z-zama'?z," and surrounded the enemy,
who, being unable to withstand them, took to flight. The
Bdbis wished to follow them, but M,ulli Muhammad 'Alf
sent and forbade them, saying, " You have no permis-
sion to undertake a religious war; if they attack us we will
defend ourselves, and if we fall we shall die martyrs." It '





was then ascertained that Sheykh n T-dpchf, one of the
believers, had fallen a martyr, and that two others had
been wounded. On the other side four men had been killed
and twenty wounded. These occurrences were reported to
TeherAn by the other side, who declared themselves unable
to cope with the BAbis.
[Now there was near the citadel a castle known as the
Castle of 'Alf-MurAd KhAn, and this castle the enemy had
occupied. Oil one side of it was the quarter of the friends,
on the other that of the enemy, but the enemy held posses-
sion of it, and had placed in it five hundred marksmen, and
its towers were lofty. So the B.Abfs represented to MullA
Muhammad 'Alf that the enemy, so long as they occupied
this castle, would harass them sorely. Then said he, " Df n
them would repeat the words "AlIdInt -Abka" ",two and
ninety times, according to the number of the, letters in
Huhammad, and the other eighteen would respond "Al-
I Cf. my first paper on the Bdbfs in the J. R. A. S. for 1.8
pp. 498-9; and my Traveller's Narrative, vol. ii, p. xxxviii.
N. H.
10





146
THE NEW HISTORY.
Muhammad, send two hundred inen, and let them capture
the castle from the enemy." Now there was within the
castle a bath, and the doorway of this bath was toward the
quarter occupied by the believers. And that night two
hundred BābÕs entered the castle by this bath. The enemy
had occupied the roofa-, all round about, and there were
within the castle teigi enclosures one within another, and
the roofas of these had the enemy occupied on every side,
and thereon had they posted sentries. All at once the
BābÕs burst open the door of the bath and entered through
the bath into the midst of the castle. Then Amfr SAlili
with two others took the staircase and began to ascend
thereby, holding shields over their heads, and caring naught
for the bullets aimed at them. So these went up, their
comrades supporting them, and defeated the enemy, some
of whom they hurled down from the roof-tops, and some of
whom they slew with the sword, while the rest took to
flight. Seven hours of the night had passed when they
gained possession of the castle. Fifty-eight of the enemy
were slain, and the plenteous store of muskets and other
arms which were in the castle fell into the hands of the
BAbis. They then posted sentinels round about the castle,
to wit fifty men under the command of KerbelA'i Haydar and
.4d Fath-'Alf. And all the provisions which they had they
stored together in the castle. Three times during that day
did the enemy attack them, and each time they were
worsted and compelled to retire.
[At the end of the month of Rajabl, Seyyid 'Ali KhAn
Mkit Abh(V' in ignelodious unison. Thus were they wont to
engage in prayer and praise till morning, being filled wit],
ecstacy and joy. Now when the duration of the siege was
I The month of Rajab of the year A.H. 1266 ended on JuDe
11th, 1850.
j





REPULSE OF SEYYID 'ALf KHAN'S ATTACK. 147 -
I
I
came from the capital, bringing with him four regiments Of
soldiers and four cannons, and entered the town.: h In~ the
town they had made forty-eight ramparts, and half the,
town with three gates was in the hands of the enemy, and
half the town with three gates in the hands of the friends.
Seyyid 'Alf KhAn arrived there in the morning to reinforce
the enemy, and issued orders that they should that very night
attack <the BābÕs> on all four sides. Din Muhammad told
off two hundred men to repel the enemyg and ordered the
rest to keep watch on the ra mparts. The night set in dark
with heavy rain. The enemy made a general attack, but-
were slain or overcome and put to rout
[Again they sought help from Teherin; but~ Din Mu-
hammad also was engaged in devising means of opposing
them. He had caused four guns of iron to be made (Seyyid
RamazAn the courier acting as gunner) in addition'to the
twenty camel-guns which the BābÕs already had. And he
bad made an iron rod, wherewith any wall which he might-
indicate could be pierced, so that <the rod> went through
on that side'. So, in like manner, all night until,the morn-
ing he had miners' in the entrenchments, wgho dug - shafts
from the'midst of the street, so that they came! out into
long protracted, and the royal troops had the worstioNt
for the most part, Muhammad KhAn ofhGfIAn 'was i com-
missioned to destroy Zanjin and slay its inhabitants,. and
I This description is not very clear, but what seems to, be
meant is that an iron punch or boring-rod was constructed, by
means of which the walls could be loop-holed for musketry at any
point attacked. It must be borne in mind that the walls of
Zanjhn, like those of all other Persian towns, are made of nothing
stronger than sun-biked clay.
2 The word mughanni (properly' mukanni) regally denotes a
professional maker of the subterranean channels (~andt) whereby
water is conveyed to towns, villages, and fields in Persia.
10-2





b
i I
148
THE NEW HISTORY.
the iihi,,trket-place and there fought for they had ra, mparts and put down a saucer there, and placed in the middle of
round about, and these they mined. h the saucer some nuts. These moved, and by this he knew
[So matters were till KAsim KhAn, Lientenant-Colonel, that they were mining <underneath>'. Thereupon he with-
came from the capital with four regiments of soldiersg) three drew his men from that rampart. In the morning they
gruns, and two mortars, entered the city, and established fired the mine. The upper room was blown up and over-
himself in the entrenchments. Then he wrote a letter to thrown. Seven of the, BābÕs were blown into the air, but
MullA Muhammad 'Ali reqhliestiiig permission to visit him, remained alive, and were extricated with a thousand diffi-
Permission having been granted, KAsini KhAn with three culties <from the ruins>. Then word was brou ht that
9
of his officers waited upon MullA Muhammad 'Ali, who Hiji GhulAm had constructed a box with double sides of
imparted to thorn the new doctrine. And they renlained planks and wood, behind which they had piled up earth,
with him till morning, and said to him, "We have two I and that they had mounted this.on a gun-carriage to serve
regiments of soldiers under our command; let us bring as a gabion, and were pushing it forwards from behind.
them, and imperil our lives with you." But he answered, Fire at this as they would, the BAbis could Produce no
Stay in your entrenchments, and order your soldiers not effect upon it. A'k6, Ahmad, the brother of Haydar Beg,
to charge their muskets with bullets, and -h:~iii appearance> taking with him nineteen men, went to'the rampart of the
continue to act with the other officers, lest hurt come to Akliu'nd's Mosque. Ascending the minaret lie cried out,
you. Act with prudence : God will cause you to attain to Bring pick-axes, and let us destroy this." One Huseyn
His Supreme Grace." by name went up on to a roof, took aim at '
Akal Ahmad) and
[On the following night <the enemy> ngiade an attack
on all four sides, and fought on until the morning, the still for a long while (six month.-, according to one account,
strife continuing into the day until noon ; but at length e inonths after another version) the, citadel held out,
they were defeated, and fell back. In that day and night'a,3 though its defenders were only three hundred and, sixty
fighting twenty-eight of the friends fell martyrs, and three
A similar device is mentioned by Ferrier (Journeys in
hundred of the opposite side perished. A 1'ersia and Afglianistan, London, 1857, p. 156) as follows:-6'He
[Again <the besiegers> applied to Teherdn for re inforce [Yir Muhammad Khan] mentioned, however) in high terms ~the
ments, and for three or four days abstained from fighting.
bravery of the [Persian] troops, and furnished me with much
On the fifth of the blessed month <of RamazAn> I they curious information respecting the siege [of Herit]; his mode of
ascertaining the direction in which the besiegers were carrying
made a mine under the ramparts. 2~kA Fathu'llih, who
was in an upper room, informed Din Mu'~ainiiiad, who came the galleries of their mines to reach the ditch of the place was
very ingenious. Plates were filled with as much small seed as
they would hold and placed upon the ground in those spots
set out, brincyinu with him fierce soldiers and murderous under which it was presumed the sappers were at work; and, in
guns. But tfiough the besiegers had now more than thirty
thousand horse and foot and nineteen pieces of ordnance, spite of all their precautions, the least concussion or blow from a
spade or pick brought down a few grains from the heap, and
I Ramaz6n 5thl A.H. 1266=July 15tb, A.D. 1850. discovered their position."
DEATH OF AKi ARMAD.
149





t
150
THE NEW HISTORY.
shot him, so that he fell from the minaret. The foe charged,
but the friends also charged, and the attack was repelled.
AkA Ahmad's bones were broken <by his fall>. The BābÕs,
with a thousand difficulties, succeeded in obtaining posses-
sion of his body, which they buried. But Din Muhammad
rejoiced greatly, and the other BābÕs congratulated him ;
for it was their custom when any one of the friends fell a
martyr to congratulate his relations.
[A few days only had elapsed <after this> when Suley-
mAn KhAn arrived with five regiments of infantry, four guns,
and six thousand cavalry. The cavalry remained outside,
while the <infantry> regiments entered the city. Eii-
counters took place daily ; and if, for example, a hundred
BābÕs attained the rank of martyrdom, five hundred men fell
oil the other side. One day a woman came out- with a black
pitcher in her hand to sprinkle water <on the dust>. The
BābÕs seized her, and then discovered that she was really
a man <in di-a3guise>. They asked him what lie was doing.
He answered, " The clergy of the town have repeated spells
over this water for forty days, and have given me twenty
tu'nzeins to sprinkle it, so that <your> people may be dis-
persed." Then they brought him before Mul1A Muhaiiiignad
'Ali, to whom lie said, " Six of the clergy have, read prayers
over this water for forty (lays and given it to me to bring
and sprinkle here." Said MullA Muhammad 'Ali, " Their
wickedness stands revealed, but no blame attaches to a
messenger." Then lie gave the mail a present, and dis-
missed him.
[The clergy daily sent letters sayiDg, " Come, let 11.9
make peace." MullA Muhaiiiiigiad 'Ali's reply to these was,
men, all divines or artizans, who had never before seen a
battle-field, and to whom the very name of strife, much
more actual war, was most distasteful. Yet, in spite of
I
a
ARRIVAL OF MUHAMMAD KHkN. ' 151
My answer is the sword." The clergy and thegovernor
wrote to Teher6ii bringing malicious accusations against
Z3
KAsim. KhAii, whom they accordingly summoned. thither.
On his arrival they secretly put him to death. But his
two regiments continued to render services <to the BābÕs>P
and to send them word when the besiegers intended to
make a night attack.
[At length one day it was arranged that the whole be-
sieging force should, in a combined attack, strive to capture
the BAbi positions. The attack was made simultaneously
on twelve different points. Several officers and nearly a





thousand soldiers, horse and foot, were slain, while of the
BābÕs sixty-seven men fell, and the besiegers were utterly
routed. They again wrote to- TeherAn saying, They have
finished us." Muhainmad KhAn, Brigadier-General, was
sent to their assistance, and came bringing with him eight
regiments of soldiers, four guns, and two mortars. He
encamped outside the city, and fired on it daily to destroy
the towers. On the other side also they maintained a con-
tinual fire with cannons and camel-guns, and inflicted
great loss on the soldiers.
[one day the besiegers made an attack and captured
olgie of the towers, on which they planted a standard.
Haydar Beg had remained beneath the tower. The BAhis
made a charge and drove down the enemy from the top of
the tower. Din Muhammad was wounded in -the thigh,
and was confined to his house for some days, when, being
somewhat recovered, he again came out.
[One day Din Muhammad made intercession with Mulli
.Muhammad 'Ali for some aged men of the enemy who were
this, they fought so bravely throughout this long struggle
as to leave on the page of time a lasting record of their
valour, which must fill with wonder all discerning men,





152 THE NEW HISTORY. RESCUE OF THE HOSTAGES.  153
in prison, and lie let them go. When they were gone, one. put the Kur'in in their hands, and sent them,to thegcamp,
of them, by name Kalb 'Alf, went to the camp, waited on ordering the ramparts, meanwhile, to be well guarded.
the Brigadier-General, talked with him, and obtained his [Aas soon as the old men were come to the camp they
consent to conclude a truce. Then he came back to Mulli seized them, thinking them to be the chiefs of the BābÕs,
Muhammad 'Alf and submitted to him <the following and ordered an attack. But the BAbis too were ready
behind their ramparts, and as soon as the troops approached
proposal>:-" You shall give <a sum of> five crores <of they were received with volleys of musketry and cannon-
dindrs>', and some of your old men, with a few chil- shots, to which they replied with guns and camel-guns.
dren, shall take the Kur'ān, and go and sit beneath one of The fight was fierce, but at length the troops were forced
the guns'. Then the Brigadier- General will send a de-
spatch to the Government to say that these have thrown to beat a retreat. It was ascertained that ~ on that day
a
themselves on its clemency. Then they will carry the nine hundred soldiers were slain.
vizier' before His Majesty the King, and the common [But the old men whom they had taken captive they
woun
folk can go their own way. Dfn Muhammad carried ded and cast intog the <full glare of the> sun ' and
this proposal before MullA Muhammad 'Alf, who replied, there they lay, crying out continually for the thirst which
"You are a free agent; act in whatever way you think was upon them. When MullA Muhammad'Alf heard this, he
best." So Dfn Muhammad chose out sixty old men Of summoned D'D Muhammad and said, " I require of you the
eighty or ninety years of age and a few children, and i hostages." " With all my heart," answered he. So when
was night he took four hundred men, removed the earth
and ap ears little short of miraculous. For, while they with which they had stopped up the gates, opened the
p
thus triumphed, an incomparable cavalr , trained to war- gate, issued noiselessly forth,' and made a sudden attack
y
fare, and accustomed to victory, was continually put to
on three different points. When the besiegers became
aware of what was taking place, they loaded their cannon
i.e. 250 Mondns, or about X76, according to the present
0 with small shot and fired. The BābÕs lay down, and, -when
rate of exchange. It seems incredible that five crores (two and the shot had passed, sprang to their feet and rushed for-
a, half millions) of any larger unit than the dind?, could even be
demanded by the royalist general. wards,  scattering an army of thirty thousand. - They gave
ary (bast) are still accorded in
2 The privileges of sanctu, water to the hostages, set them free, seized all the weapons
Persia to wrong-doers of any class who take refuge either in a and provisions on which they could lay their hands) and
holy city or shrine (such as Kum or Shih 1Abdu'l-1Az1'm), in the returned <to their entrenchments>. Seyyid RamazAn suc-
royal stables, or in certain 'other places and objects specially
ceeded in carrying off a cannon, which he mounted on a
associated with royalty. A certain large gun which stands in gun-carriage lie had made. They also I brought back many
one of the squares of Teberain is "bast." The same virtue Muskets.
appears to be attributed here to the royal artillery in general.
3 It is not clear who is meant by "the vizier," but presumably
the BAbi chief MullA Muhammad 'Ali', or his lieutenant Dfn flight, although its leader was a soldier inured to battle,
Mubanimad is intended. brave, experienced, and capable, who had control over the





154
THE NEW HISTORY.
again applied to TeherAn, and continued
[The enemy ,
to devise schemes for the capture of the BābÕs, until one
night Farrukh KhAn (the son of YahYA KhAn <of Tabrfz>,
and the brother of <HAjf> SuleymAn KhAn) Lieutenant-
Colonel, resolved to come and take captive MullA Muham-
mad 'Alf. So he took with him two others clad in helmets
and coats of mail, and two of the enemy, who had been in
prison <in the hands of the BābÕs> and had escaped, as
guides. And about twenty thousand soldiers, whom Farrukh
KhAn and the other officers had maddened with drink,
took part in the attack. They first attacked HAjf Bann.4's
barricade, drove him into a corner of it, and surrounded
him' There were five men at that barricade, who, seeing
this, abandoned it and fell back on a house behind it.
[Ijaydar Beg relates as follows:-" While we were going
the rounds with MullA Muhammad 'Alf he said, 'I am
going home; do you go and win some good, and then come
to me.' So I went off. Then I saw that they had taken.
the barricade and were preparing to set fire to it. At that
moment MÕrzā Jalfl came up with nineteen men, and my
father also with a number of others. We besieged that
house, where a number <of the enenly> were in a room,
and cut them off, so that no more from the army could
come to their assistance. Then I entered the room, and
with fair words induced them one by one to come forth,
and our men stripped them of their weapons, saying, 'We
will take you before the Master,' until two and twenty of
them had come out, and Farrukh KhAn alone remained.
Notwithstanding all we could do, he would not come out.
treasury of His Holiness the Eighth ImAill', and lavished
money on the soldiers as though it had been but sand.
But no great while elapsed ere he suddenly fell from favour,
1 The Imim RizA, to whom Alash-had owes its sanctity.
CAPTURE AND DEATH OF FARRUKH KHkN. 155
One of the faithful named 'Alf Akbar entered the room.
Farrukh Kh6n fired at him with a pistol and killed him.
My father said, 'Do you stand still?' Thereupon I entered
the room. He fired at me, but hit my shield, so that no
harm befell me. Then I seized him tightly, and my com-
rades came, and took him, and led him out, and brought
him before Mulli Muhammad 'Alf. 'By gcommand of
what prophet,' said he, 'do you madden <your men> with
drink, and attack the houses of God's servants, and kill
several?' Then he ordered him and the'twenty-two other
prisoners to be put to death'. My father and I, taking a
company of our men, also attacked a great bastion on which
were seven guns, and set fire to it. We likewise captured
and destroyed six barricades besides it, and came -back





and presented ourselves before MullA Muhammad 'Alf, who,
rewarded us with increase of rank and robes of honour.
["Two days after this, Mull6 Muhammad 'Alf ordered
tile to go to the Castle of 'Alf MurAd KhAn and bring to
him KerbelA'f HaYdar and.&k6 Fath-'Alf. So I went and
brought them. Then he said to them' ' You have betrayed
the people's possessions to the enemy for money, intending
to take flight yourselves. Why have you not gone? And
why have you given the people's possessions to the enemy?'
For a while they answered nothing; then they said, 'We
7
wished to know whether you would discover it or not.' - So
was disgraced, and met with the unishment which his
actions merited. And these three tundred and odd men,
who were no soldiers, who had neither treasure, nor artil-
1 According to Subh-i-Ezel, Farrukh KhAn was, or pretended
to be, a BAW ; and it was, no doubt, for this reason that he was
put to death so cruelly, being first skinned alive and then
roasted. (Cf. Kazeni-Beg, ii, pp. 217-220). His horse and
sword were brought to his brother YahyA KhAn, by whorn they
were offered to Subh-i-Ezel.





156
THE NEW HISTORY.
Mulli Muhammad 'Alf commanded them to be imprisoned;
and there were thirty-five of them'. Then he placed ten
other believers in the Castle <of 'Alf MurAd Kh6u in their
stead >.
[" Next day the other side made a fresh attempt, and
attacked the upholders of Truth at ten different points.
For a day and a night fierce conflict was waged. One
hundred of the faithful suffered martyrdom, and one thou-
sand two hundred and five of the enemy were slain.
a
[" But now orders were issued from the capital that His
Holiness the Supreme Lord' should be brought froin Cliihrik
to Tabriz to suffer martyrdom (as will be described in detail
at a subsequent page). News of his martyrdoin was brought
to ZanjAn, and they cried out at the barricades, 'They
have killed your ImAm! Wherefore do you imperil your
fives?' Mulli Muhammad 'Alf said, 'My Master is one
who lives, and death cannot touch him; yea, even tlioaqe
live who believe <in him>.'
[" Then the enemy wrote to Telierin, and <MÕrzā Takf
KhAn> the Am&-i-Kabb- issued further commands, and
from LuristAn, and the districts of HainadAn and Tabriz,
regiment after regiment of troops, horse and foot, continued
to pour in and join the <besieging> army, until a host of
about thirty or forty thousand lay round about us, and
lery, nor stores and munitions of war, and who were asiip-
ported only by spiritual grace, stoutness of heart, and that
new power of endurance bestowed on them from on high,
It appears from p. 146 supra that the defence of the Castle
in question bad been entrusted to fifty men commanded by
KerbelO Ijaydar and kkA Fath-'Aff, and that thirty-three of
these had been guilty of making overtures to the enemy.
2 HaFrat-i-Rabb-i-A'16, one of the R'tb's titles. See Travellers
Xarrative, vol. ii, p. 229.
I
I
BEHAVIOUR OF THE 'ALf-ILkHfS.
some of the friends took to flight, and some were captured
and slain.
[" Now the followers of MullA Muhammad 'Alf had
.nineteen barricades, and in each barricade were stationed
nineteen men. When it was night one of them used to
cry 'Alhihu Abka" ninety-two times, according to <the
number of:,-- the name Muhammad, and the other eighteen
used simultaneously to respond 'Alldhu Abk(-(,' and ere
morning h they used five times to chant the sacred texts of
the new dispensation with melodious voice, and till the
morning they were occupied with prayer.'
[" To return. The Government wished to send Ja'far-





Kulf KhAn, General of Division, from Teherin. But he
said to <MÕrzā Taki KhAn> Amb-i-KaUr 'I am not Ibn
ZiyAd to go to fight against a band of Seyyids and men of
learning, though I have no objection to wage war against
heretics such as the Turcomans and the like.' And some
officers who had gone did but feign to fight, such as Mir
Seyyid Huseyn KhAn of Firfizkfih, whom the Ami?--i-Kabh-,-
on discovering this, dismissed. So likewise did some officers
of the 'All-Ildhi sect who had gone to the war, so soon as
they became ~cquainted with the true state of the case; for
their Seyyid had forbidden them, therefore they fled. For
it is written in their books and traditions that when the
soldiers of GfirAn sliall come to the Capital- of the King
wrought during those days deeds which were an absolute
miracle, for they were always succeassful in repelling the
I The substance of this and the following paragraphs occurs
in C. also, as will be seen by referring to the translation of C.',s
text at the foot of pp. 139-146 supra. The writer of the L.
text has introduced them here nglost inopportunely, as the
paragraph which succeeds should clearly follow immediately the
paragraph which precedes them.





I j
158
THE NEW HISTORY.
then the Lord of the Age (whom they call God) sliall ap-
pear; and this prophecy was now fulfilled. They also
possess certain poems which contain the date of the Mani-
festation, and these too came true. So they were-con-
vinced that this was the Truth become manifest; but they
excused themselves from giving active help and support
<to the BābÕs>, saying, 'In subsequent conflicts, when the
framework of your religion sliall have gathered strength, we
will help you.' I
[" Now when the eneiny discovered that there was no one
in the castle, they made a sudden and simultaneous attack,
and took the castle and some of the barricades and houses,
while the believers retreated from certain of their outworks,
and fell back. The troops then occupied themselves in
plundering the BābÕs' property for one day, when they
again put forth their whole strength, and poured down like
A flood through every street and over. every roof The
believers, being but few in number, were unable, strive as
they might, to check their advance, and the enemy ima-
gined that they had gone to fight in the lower part of the
town. Four thousand soldiers with their officers had col-
lected behind the house of Hiiaseyn PAshA. A woman
brought word of this to Din Muliaihyiinad, who sent a body
of men into the upper story. These saw that the enemy
were boring holes underground at the back of the house,
which would come out in the coihirt-yard. Although I dis-
charged muskets and pistols at them, they would not move.
We therefore retreated to the court-yard to go out. One
foe, and held in check all army of thirty thousand. At
length one day when MullA Muhammad 'Alf had himself
mounted oil to one of the barricades, a chance bullet struck
1 Cf. the translation of C.'s text at the foot of PP. 139-142
mpra, and the preceding note.
MULL,i MUHAMMAD 'ALf IS WOUNDED. 159
of the enemy recognized Mulli Muhammad 'Alf and cried
out 'Seize him !' Another of them approached, intending
to lay hands on him, but he put his hand to his sword and
smote his assailant so fiercely on the right shoulder that
the sword came out under his left arm-pit, cutting him
clean in two. When the enemy saw this, they halted in
consternation, and we went out from the house. But others
of our friends, having been apprized of what was taking
place, rushed into the yard sword in hand, and the assault
was repelled." Three hundred soldiers were killed, and the
rest were routed and put to flight. Haydar Beg was wounded
with a sword-cut, and his maternal uncle was killed * , 4
[Ijaydar Beg continues as follows:-" One day I was go-
ing the rounds with His Holiness <MullA Muhammad 'Alf >.





We came to a house the rooliia,3 of which had been destroyed
and in which there was no one. He said to'me, 'See
whether anyone is on guard here or not.' I looked, and
saw no one. Now there was a narrow embrasure between
two alcoves, and I looked through this to see whether the
enemy had a barricade at this point, intending to discharge
my gun, that they inight not imagine that there was no
one there., His Holiness was standing, his -cloak thrown
over his shoulder, opposite to the embrasure, when a bullet
fired from the other side came through it, and, as fate would
have it, struck his hand, shattering the bones' 'I render
praise to God,' ejaculated he, 'that I have not been disap-
pointed of this supreme blessing, that is to say martyrdom,
but have at length attained to it.' I took out my handker-
chief and bound up his wound, after 'which he went to his
house. 'Go,' said he then, 'bring hither your father Din
Muhammad.' 1 therefore went and informed my father, and
his hand, inflicting on him a grievous hurt. A few days
before this he had signified to the faithful that such an





160
I
and they bandaged
he came, bringing with him a surgeon,
the wounded hand of our chief
[" Now when the enemy learned that His Holiness had
been wounded by a bullet, they attacked us on all sicleas,
and ceased not for a momei~t to pour down on us cannon-
balls and bullets, as a cloud in spring-time <pours down
rain>. On every side they made good their advance, and
captured our barricades and houses. The houses which
they took they set on fire, carrying off the furniture as
spoil. Every day they took several barricades, until at
length they surrounded one of the houses belonging to His
Holiness. Bomb-shells would come and fall in the house,
bury themselves in the ground, again emerge, and burst,
killing several of the faithful. And now all the believers
had fallen ugiartyrs save eighty only, who still survived, and
continued to fight at the barricades and in the trenches.
[" It was now forty days since His Holiness had received
his wound, yet he used to come out every day. But one
room was his own private retreat. Round One side of that
court-yard the enemy had erected a stockade from which
they -used to fire cau-nons, so that the cannon-balls came
through the alcoves of the room. One day we went to
move His Holiness ai)d take him out. In an adjoining
room one of his wives, a woman of ZanjAn, had in her arms
a child still at the breast. A cannon-ball came and took
off the heads of both mother and child, so that both fell
martyrs, and were buried in that same room. While we
were carrying His Holiness out the enemy discharged
another cannon, and the ball entered the room. A girl
fell into the fire-place. and was burned.
["His Holiness had three wives, two of them igiatives of
THE NEW HISTORY.
urned back
injury was about to befall hiiigi. In brief, he t
from the barricade <to his house>, and was for some days
I
LAST BEHESTS OF MULLA MUHAMMAD 'ALf. 161
Zanjdn and one a woman of Hamadin. The Hamaddiii,
with one son named Huseyn, was taken to ShfrAz, where
they still are.
P We had removed the carpets and vessels of copper
from one room, banked it up with earth, and converted it
into a barricade. That was during the days of the month of
Muharram 1. And when the enemy saw that they could not
prevail against us, they ordered large quantities of firewood
to be brought, and piled it up, meaning to set fire to it
suddenly and burn us. But when it was the night of the
twenty-fifth of Safar', five hours of the night being past,





His Holiness summoned Din Muhammad and three others,
and thus communicated to them his last behests:-,]t3
"' The time of my sojourn in this wretched world, which
is the abode, of disruption and strife and the home of woes
and afflictions, is ended, and my departure, is nigh at hand.
In this great trouble I enjoin on you patience and stead-
fastness. - Be patient for thre e- days more, for [three days]
after my decease a strong* wind will blow ~with great vio-
lencel. If you endure and are patient, after the wind falls
God will grant you Tvictory andl happiness. But if you
are not patient, and if dissension and discord arise in your
midst and ye become disunited, you will all be slain. Do
not forget my words, for if you act agreeably to them you
will see their fruit, and if you neglect them you will suffer
their hurt and will be sorry. In either case you will see
confined to his bed. Then he summoned three or four of
his chief followers and said:-It
*[black]*
I Muharraln A.H. 1267 began on November 6th and ended on
December 5th, A.D. 1850.
2 December 30th, A.D. 1850.
3 Here the L. and C. texts unite.
N. H.





i
162 THE NEW HISTORY.
that I have not spoken vainly.' Then lie bade them bury
him in the clothes he wore, adding to Din Muhammad, who
was his confidential friend, 'Suffer no one to remove the
diamond ring which I wear on my hand.' Being asked the
reason of this injunction, he said, 'They in-List ent off my
finger [as they did that of Huseyn ibn 'Alf] Tfor the ring
ere they can take it'~.
" So when His Holiness Mulli Muhammad 'Alf had
yielded up his spirit to the Lord of life, passed away from
this transitory world, and ascended to a throne of supreign(,,
and everlasting glory, his followers, as lie had bidden them,
buried his body [with its gear] in *[the same room where
they had buried his wives and his child],~" as above de-
scribed, and then betook themselves anew to ~tlie defence
of their stockades and~ the repelling of the enemy. And
the besiegers were amazed at their resolution and courage,
marvelling that they should be thus ready to imperil their
lives now that they were without a leader. They therefore,
despairing of being able to carry the position by storm,
began, after their wont, to devise treachery.
"And now a strong wind began to blow and rain to
fall, and the air grew dark and gloomy. t JAm.fr AslAn
KhAnT t Majdu'd-Dawla, TMuharnmad KhAnJ the Bri-
gadier-General, and the other chief officers, seeing that in
face of the rain, the gloominess of the weather, and the vio-
lence of the wind (which was like to blow down all the tents
in the camp) it was equally impossible to continue fighting
or to wait patiently, had recourse to deceit, and sent [Suley-
min KhAn with] a promise of amnesty plighted on the
Kur'ān to the BābÕs. [Although Din Muhammad said to
them, 'You see what the wind is doing : be patient for
one day more!' they did but answer, 'Do you want them
*~a room near a wellj* t [His Excellency] t
CAPITULATION OF ZANJAN.
to burn our wives and children V1 Then the besiegers
declared with the most solemn and binding oaths, 'It was
Mulli Muhammad 'Alf, not you, whom we sought to take,
Do not then seek to bring further sufferings on the soldiers
or on yourselves. Be easy in mind, for with you we have
no quarrel.' So these poor simple-minded folk suffered
themselves to be beguiled by the plighted Kur'ān and
these solemn oaths, and came before Dfn -Muhammad, and
said, 'Now that they desire peace, as witnessed by their
treaty and covenant, it is displeasing in God's sight that
we should reject their proposals and persist in continuing
the strife.' He answered, '[By God, they speak falsely,
and will shew iiag no mercy.] Do you not see what the
wind is doing Ito-dayl ? Be patient for two or three days
more, that God may give you deliverance.' Most of them,





however, because of their simplicity of heart, believed the
treachery of the enemy to be the promised deliverance,
and imagined that, they had plighted their word on the
Klir'An in all truth and sincerity, really wishing to conclude
the strife."
[But on the side of the enemy they did not wait for
the BābÕs to come forth of their own accord, but eneoln-
passed them round on every side. The Brigadier-General
with his officers ascended the roofas, while an army of thirty
* TSo they came forth from the castle submissively,
hopefully, even joyously, and surrendered it to the be-
siegers. But when these had thus captured them (through
their respect for the Kur'in and the plighted troth) they
slew them with every species of cruelty and indignity, and
Here begins the second important divergence between the
accounts given by C. and L. of the Zanjin siege. The former is as
usual the shorter, the poorer in detail, and the more bombastic
and inflated in style, and is relegated for these reasons to the
foot of the page.
163
11-2





1.64 THE NEW HISTORY.
thousand poured into the houses, seized their occupant,,,
and cast some down from the roofs on to the ground. Din
Muliaminad and his friends and relatives were all gathered
together in - the room which had been occupied by His
Holiness the martyr <MullA Muhimligiad 'Alf>. With
them were his wife' and children, several old men, and
their own wives. The rest of the BAbis were in their own
houses. The soldiers poured into the houses, stripped the
men, and carried off the women which these had with them.
HaydaT Be, relates:-" I and my father Din Muhammad
were in a room tin which was an ice-cellar wherein the
BANS had stored all the money and goods which they had
securechlt'. The women they had assembled in the house
of Huseyn PisliA. A regiment of soldiers surrounded them,
veiled as they were, and bore them off to the house of Mfrzi
Abu'l-KAsim. the nutitakid, to whose custody they coni-
rilitted them. Another regiment marched Din Mtihtiigima(l
with fifteen others out of the city to the caravansaray of
in most cases burned their bodies, all save some few ii'lioiii
they led forth in chains and fetters to be carried before the
Ami'?-. Then they fell upon their houses and seized all
that they had as spoil, took captive their women and chil-
dren, whom they sold for a small price, and exhumed the
corpse of His Holiness the Proof from the spot where it was
i.e. the HamadAni woman who alone survived of the three
wives.
2 The text is here so corrupt as to be almost unintelligible,
and I offer the translation enclosed between daggers as a mere
guess at the sense. The text stands as follows in the AIS.
UA ;j .1,1L A_,~ L5j 45- LSy.1 5 &A 4s- ,~j~, a!J,
.9 lj4.z yLl 5 aL eS' J  + 11
6~ 44;J_ ~)L. ;.)L, L 1j101 CjS~ 5 U 4
I
EXHUMATION OF THE MkBf LEADER'S CORPSE. 165;
His Holiness MullA Muhammad 'Alf, stripping them,' so
that they had nothing but their shirts and drawers. The
rest of the, BābÕs they left in the city, maakilig them find
sureties <for their appearance >-.
[" Next day at sundown they sent and brought Din
Muhammad before the Brigadier- General, who said to him,
'Tell me where they have buried the corpse <of MulIA
Muhammad 'All>?' My father answered, 'Since we shall
be killed in any case, why should we tell you?' All said,
'He speaks truly.' Then they brought the eldest son of
His Holiness <MullA Muhammad 'Alf>, a boy of about
seven years of age named Huseyn, and questioned him.
He pointed out the spot. They dragged up the corpse of
His Holiness, and questioned the people of ZaiijAn <as to
its identity>. All said, 'It is the Master's corpse.' The
eyes of one of the officers fell on the ring. He drew his





knife, cut off the finger, and removed the ring. The
Brigadier- General remonstrated with him, saying, 'Why
did you cut off the fiDger of this corpse? For people will
say that even this detail is like what befell ImAin Huseyn'.'
According to what is related, they dragged the corpse about
the astreets for three days, and none knows what they did
with it at last."
[On the same day whereon two regiments of soldieras
had brought Din Muhammad and the other B6b1s to the
market-place in the morning, Din Muhammad's eyes fell on
buried. As they were doing SO, the eyes of one of these
just and righteous Musuli-nAigis fell on the ring on its finger,
and lie immediately drew out his knife, cut off the finger,
and removed the ring. Then it flashed upon the ngiinds of
Din Mulltiulgiiad and several others who were in chains
with him that the words which their illustrious leader had
Cf. Sir Lewis Pelly's Niracle Play qf Hasan and Husey2t,
Vol. ii, pp. 153--156.





166
THE NEW HISTORY.
the body of His 14oliness, froni which they had ,.,~evered the
finger, and he began to weep, and at once it flashed -upon
the others that the words which His Holiness had spoken,
at the moment of his departure, " They will cut~ off my
finger and take the ring " had come true. They therefore
entreated the Brigadi er- General, saying, " Order them to
kill us now, and send us to join him." The Brigadier-
General was beyond all measure astonished at their request,
and said,]* "What have you beheld in this house of oblivion'
that you seek thus eagerly after your own slaughter ? "
They replied, " May you never see what we have seen, and
may God never iigiake it your portion; please God you will
never hear what we have heard-
'We have seen what heretofore hath been seen by no i-nortal
eye;
[To us is the mystery, "I was a treasure concealed,'2 made
plain,
For 11 TVe, are nearer to yom", saith He, "than the jugnlar vein".,,
We marvel wherefore-the Truth ye still reject and deny!]"'
t[So two regiments of soldiers bore them away to the
uttered at the time of his death, 'They will' cut off illy
finger and take the ring' had come true. Thereupon they
began to weep bitterly, and urgently to entreat Muhammad
KhAD, saying, 'Kill us also, and send us to join that great
and holy man." Muliaminad KhAn was beyond all measure
astonished and said,l*
tISo they surrounded those poor victims also, and
I Fardinftsh-kh(ltnd ("House of Oblivion") is the name given
by the PersiaDS to a masonic lodge. See Gobineau's Religions et
PhilosolAies dans I'Asie Ceiitrale, p. 306.
2 Alluding to the well-known words in which, according to
Aluslim tradition, God inade known to David the object of crea-
tion:-'I was a Ifidden Treavtre, and I desired to be known;
thereforelcreatedereation that Ignight be knomb'. Cfp.133supra,
3 Kur'ān, 1, 15.
L
FATE OF THE SURVIVING RiBfS. 167-
igiiarket-place, and there they blew three of thein froingtlie
ignouths of mortars, and the rest they impaled on spears.
Thus did they send them to join their leader.] t
[But they spared Haydar 'Alf Beg, seeing that he was
but a child, though lie continued to revile them, saying,-
"Kill me too!" For they thought that His Holiness must
have amassed treasure, and hoped, by tormenting the child,
to inake him point it out to them, therefore they refrained
from killing him. And God also willed to make manifest
His might. So they imprisoned the lad, and next day
brought him forth and said, " Make known to us the site
of the treasure." He answered, " There was naught but





what you have taken." Then they ransacked the room,g but
found nothing. Then they said to the child, " Why did
you not curse the BAb yesterday ?" He replied, " So that
you might kill me also." "Was it so great a thing to kill
you 2 " said they. "No," answered he, "but I would that
the merit of the act might be yours." Then they tied hi -in
to the poles; but, beat him as they might, he continued, so
long as lie had sufficient strength, to revile them. - And
after that they continued to beat him 'until they thought
he was dead, when they carried him away and cast him
on an ash-heap. About the time of the morning call to
prayer he came to his senses. Twice afterwards they
seized and imprisoned him. When the Brigadier-General
was about to return <to TeherAn> he gave him toJfqjdu'd-,
Dawla, who repeatedly tormented him that he might point
out the supposed treasure, but, as there was none, he still
said nothing. Ijaydar Beg relates as follows:-"They
carried away the corpses of His Holiness Mulli Muhammad
'Alf and my father and cast them out into the moat. , At
struck blows at each one until the had t th
their leader.~t
J aZ3 V I. IL el-fi Co J 0111





168 THE NEW HISTORY.
night the gunners took away the four corpses and bihiried
them. Afterwards they summoned four others with the
wife of His Holiness to Teherdn." There were four of the
BAbi leaders who had survived (for though they had been
wounded they had not died), to wit: Muhaminad BAkir the
surgeon, 'Alf Muhammad, Hidf Beg, and Haydar Beg,
together with the widow of His Holiness. All tliease they
brought to Teherin. The widow of His Holiiiea,~s they sent
to ShfrAz'. The four leaders they sentenced to death. They
brought them to the foot of the execution-pole and slew
three of them ; " But for iigle, " says Haydar Beg, " they sub-
stituted another, one Abih'l-Hasan, whom they killed; for
HAjf 'Alf KhAn made representation to the King, saying,
'Since this one is a inere child it is not good that his blood
should be shed.' They sent me to the gaol, where I remained
for nearly two years. Then they set me free, and I came
out, and was for some years in attendance on him', until he
too suffered martyrdoin, while I survive till this day."]
After they had thus igliade an end of the BAbis, they de-
stroyed their houses with artillery so utterly that no trace of
them was left, and, having accomplished all this, turned back,
conquering and victorious, with deiiioiistratioliai of triumph.
Now the full details of these events are many, and
what has been here a-,et forth is but as one in a thousand
and a little out of much. I know not how it could be that
I See p. 161 supra.
2 It is impossible to say to whom the pronoun refers. As the
plural is used, and as the person designated is said to have
4csuffered martyrdoilhi" it is clear that some one of the Bibf saints
is intended. None who escaped the massacre of ZanjAn having
been mentioned, one can only conjecture that one of the BAbi's
put to death at Teherdn in 1852 inay be meant. No doubt the
unrecorded circumstances or the context of I ' laydar Beg's narra-
tive rendered the point clear enough to his hearers.
t
MUHAMMAD 'ALI'S LETTER TO'THE AMfR. 169
no wise statesman or prudent counasellor perceived -and
pointed out to His Majesty the King, that he ought to
take thought for his poor subjects, the prosperity of his
realms, and the freedom of his nation, and ought not~'
inerely on account of religious differences, to send armies
to ravage the land and destroy the people. Differences of
faith can only be removed by conferences and discussions
between learned divines, and the unbiassed investigations
of properly qualified persons, not by massing of troops
and massacre of the people. At the beginning of the
war His Holiness MuI14 Muhammad 'Alf, desirous of per-
fecting the proof, wrote the following letter to <MÕrzā Taki
K114n> A92u'r-i-A7abz'r:-t
" Your Excellency has been misinformed concerning this





inatter. It behoves a strono- and honourable government to
Subdue by force of arms rebels and disaffected persons who
seek to grasp for themselves independent authority, but
-not Stich as myself and this little band of devoted men,
who have trodden under foot all worldly ambitions and
hopes. We would discuss the signs whereby the recipients
of Divine revelation may be recognized with those who,
I
alas! have made their knowledge but an instrument where-
with to secure worldly consideration and the esteem of
men, It is not seemly to attempt the removal - of this
difference by armed force, injustice, and violence. Justice
and fairness rather demand that a conference should be
arranged to take place in the presence of Your Excellency
where we may discuss the matter with the clergy' ~ who are
responsible for the misrepresentations from which we stiffer,
and the war and strife which these have entailed. Should
this be done, either truth will be distinguished from false-
t[Account of tlie lette~- of His Holi2jeqs 'the Pi-oof' to
Jgl,~r;~-e't T(WKlidn Avz~i-i-Kab~7-.]t





170
TEE NEW HISTORY.
hood Tin which case the establishing of the former and the
suppression of the latter will be easily effectedl, or you can
give us leave to depart into foreign lands without strife and
bloodshed."
The A mz'r-i-Kab bl, however, notwithstanding his desire
for the welfare of the state, and his great administrative
capacity, was so blinded by selfish interest that he paid no
heed to a single word of this address, and became the cause
of terrible devasbation of property and destruction of life
both amongst the troops and the people, until at length he
received his deserts. Even the representatives of foreign
powers, actuated solely by humane and philanthropic mo-
tives, pointed out to hiin at the beginning of tllease events
how ill it beseemed the majesty of the Sovereign to send
his troops to destroy a number of his own subjects, for the
most part men of learning, who had neither injured nor
molested anyone, nor been guilty of any treasonable action
towards the government, merely on the groLind of a differ-
ence of belief between thein and the rest of the clergy.. - -
Their representations, however, proved inefficacious, and
deeds were done which ill befitted the kingly dignity.
[Account of the letter addressed to His 111(tjesty the ICing
by the Letter J.]1
In like manner some while ago one of the most pro-
foundly learned, earnest, and virtuous of divines addressed
to His Majesty the King a letter to this effect:-" Through
the machinations of the clergy, and at their command, these
By "the Letter J."  I conjecture that AkA Jernil
of Burlijird, one of the most learned and influential of the
(BehA'f) BābÕs resident in Persia, is meant. Tbat be was fin-
prisoned for sorne tirne in Teherlin (see pp. 172 and 180 infra) I
know from one who shared his captivity.
A B.W DOCTOR'S APPEAL TO THE KING. 171
people'have for a long while been visited with the scourges
of wrath and anger. If tliia-, bitter animosity and these harsh
measures arise from the fact that the clergy regard them
as heretics and infidels, then convene an assembly in the
presence of some few persons who enjoy the confidence both
of the government and the people, so that I your petitioner
may make it clear by irrefragable proofas that the clergy are
n
in error, and may banish these dissensions from our midst,
in order that His Majesty the King may henceforth refrain
from molesting these much-wronged and innocent people."
Certain passages of this document which bear most on
the topic before us are as follows :-" Is the measure of peace
agnd security granted to humble and unobtrusive folk to be
dependent on the whims of sectarian zealots steeped in
selfishness and prejudice and thinly disguising their greed





of worldly lucre under a veil of sanctity? Or is it to be
dependent on the judgement of His Majesty's trusted ad-
visers, the requirements of the national well-being, and the
principles of a just administration designed to increase the
prosperity of the country, to suppress sedition, and to
promote the welfare of mankind ? If the former, then ere
long neither state nor people will remain, and we had best
abandon forthwith our lives and property, and depart to the
realms of non-existence. If the latter, then wherefore all
this strife and disputation? I know not what advantage.
cunning and spiteful men obtain from religion. 1 swear by.
God that religion cannot be combined with worldliness, nor
true faith with greed of gold. From old time proneness to
strife and discord hath been one of the characteristics of
the worthless and ignorant. In matters of faith and
doctrine hatred alid malice should have no place, for re-
ligion is a hidden mystery appertaining to the heart, and
cannot be placed in dependence on any man's will. The
I ie. the BābÕs.





172 THE NEW HISTORY. A BOLD APOLOGIST. 173
Most Merciful God hath endowed every soul with the
means of recognizing Him, and hath rendered it inde-
pendent of all else. Blind subservience to authority hath
never been right, nor are vain fancies a sufficient guide.
E,very soul must attain to a knowledge of the truth by its
own earliest endeavour."
It was therefore decreed by His Majesty the King that
-t disci
-ission should take place in the house of one of the
ministers of state, between several prominent members of
the clergy oil the one hand, and the learned petitioner on
the other, in order that some colgicliisloigi iigiight be reached
as to the validity of the claims advaihteed on either side.
After iigiucli discussion, and re-iterated demands oil the
part of the clergy for reasons why their - authority was
disputed, some left the rooin in anger, and the others
declared that they would no longer remain in the saine
city with their opponent. In consequence of this the King
imprisoned that learned and saintly man for a whole year,
merely to propitiate the clergy, and to protect the state from
the sedition which they would otherwise have stirred up.
The learned BābÕ, oil his part, wrote an account of the
discussion which took place between himself and the clergy
in the Arabic language. A perusal of this document will
convince all fair-minded persons that the clergy were
actuated solely by a selfish desire to retain their supremacy,
and that the niotive which led tl-tenhi to reject the Lord of
the Age was a fear lest their authority might be weakened
and their commands and prolilbitioigis ihiiade of none effect.
To make this clear, we append a translation of this account,
rendered in the Persian language by that eminent scholar
0
At~6 Mfrzi Abu'l-Fazl 1, originally of
and illustrious divine A
I C. introduces this account with a songlewhit different form
of words, and suppresses the name of MirzA AVVI-Fazl~ concern-
GuIpAyagdii, without either addition or suppression. F,~ The
account, as rendered by the MÕrzā in Persian, runs aas
follows :-
" This is a true account of what passed between this
oppressed servant of God on the one hand, and two factions
of the mighty ones of the earth' on the other, when they
brought me in to their assembly with malice and great
injustice. When I had entered and seated myself, they
first demanded what I sought and intended by the petition
which I had submitted to His Majesty the King, and the
complaints which I had therein made against the clergy.
When they had finished speaking, I answered them as
follows.
" 'A tradition which hath been handed down from the





holy ImAms and the pure ones of God's chosen family
saith, " When heresies appeaq- amongst mankind, then let
the wise man shew forth, his knowledge." - Now since I do
clearly perceive that heresies and falsehoods have appeared
in your midst, and since 1 find you all pursuing the path
of error, I am come to shew -forth such knowledge and
wisdom as it hath pleased God to bestow upon me, to warn
alike the ministers of state and the clergy of their errors,
and to call your attention to those ordinances of the Book
of God which you have ignored.
"'Now what I have to say to the representatives of the
government is this, that kings and rulers have no right
to exercise control over anything beyond the outward body
of the world. Their function is to maintain order in
their realms, to strive to secure the prosperity of their
lands, to suppress sedition, to seek after the amelioration of
men's condition, and to be diligent in the furtherance of all
ing whom see my Catalogue and Description of 27 Bdbi 31-anu-
scri]pts in the J. R. A. S. for 1892, pp. 442-3, 663-5, and 701.
1 ie. the representatives of the government and the clergy.





f
174 THE, NEW HISTORY.
measures conducive to the tranquillity and welfare of the
coiiingli-iiiity and the increase of the national wealth. But
kings have no right to interfere with the religious opinions
of their subjects, or to seek control over men's beliefs.
Because the King hath done this, enmity and war have been
rife for nearly thirty years', during which time nearly a
hundred thousand souls have been slain or scattered abroad
in distant and foreign lands. Had these been spared, the
number of thein and their offa-,pring would now have
amounted to five hundred thonsand, and thereby the pros-
perity of the country would have been greatly increased,
for how much may be effected with even a hundred thou-
sand !
" 'To the clergy I have three things to say. First of
all, if one appears in great glory and power summoning
men to God, if he be not from God does it rest with God
to confute him and bring him to naught, or with men V
They answered, It rests with God.'
"' Then,' said 1, 'what say you of him who appeared
in the year A.H. 1260, with great glory and cogent proofs,
calling men to God, and directing them to the divine law ?
For the Lord did in no wise confute him, but, on the con-
trary, exalted his doctrine, made manifest his deeds, and
rendered clear his proofs, so that his verses are dissemi-
nitted throughout the world, and his writings found in every
region and quarter.'
11 They answered, 'Learned divines, who are God's
representatives amidst ineigi, turned away from him and
rejected him, even as we also reject him.'
" 'Are you then,' asaid I, 'the representatives of God,
I From this it would appear that the discussion here described
took place about A.H. 1290 (A.D. 1873). Cf. my Re?narks on the
Babi texts published b~l Baron Rosen &e. in the J. R. A. S. for
1892, p. 281.
A BOLD APOLOGIST.
the elect of the Sure Faith, the guides to the 1 Straight
Path-you, who are devoid of the very rudiments of wisdom,,
who know no method but conjecture and imaFination ?
How can such as have no certain conviction in minor
points of religion and jurisprudence, who can pronounce no
final decision, and who regard the Gate of Knowledge as
shut', think themselves entitled to decide on the highest
questions relating to the Divine Unity, or to recognize
those well-springs of holy inspiration who are the channels
whereby God's grace is conveyed to mankind? How can
they consider their acceptance or rejection of God's apostles
and messengers as a thing to be greatly heeded ? Can one
so blind that he cannot see his own foot, but stumbles into
the pits of error and strays in the valleys of destruction,





claim to distinguish between truth and falsehood, or to be a
measure for the knowledge of Him who created the heavens,
the Lord of the Names and Attributes?'
" When my discourse had reached this pointh, all were
silent in wonder and amazement, and I continued : I'Let
us descend, however, from this level, and suppose that
these people are in error. Even in this case, what right
have you to regard them as unbelievers and to sanction
the shedding of their blood, seeing that they make the
same profession as the Muslims in what regards the pro-
phetic office of the prophets, the sanctity of the saints, the-
sufficiency of the Book of God for a proof, and the binding
nature of its commands and prohibitions? Yet have you
unjustly slain these holy and spiritual men with- such~
cruelty as hath not been witnessed or heard of in any of
the heathen tyrants of bygone time.'
' This sect,' answered they, 'maintain that that Holy
ie. who deny the possibility of any further revelation, or
the existence of any open channel of communication between
God and men. Cf. my Traveller8Narrative, vol. ii, pp. 243-4.





176
THE NEW HISTORY.
Being whose coming hath been promised to us liath been
borigi in this time, which assertion is contrary to truth.
With those who hold such a belief we will have no
dealings.'
"'By what proofs,' I demanded, 'do you make good
this assertion ? For, according to the established principles
of your religion, this is not unbelief.'
C" The proof,' replied they, 'is the self-evident necessity
of the matter in the eyes of all adherents of our faith ; for
if you enquire of even the common folk and tradespeople,
they will unanimously declare that the promised advent
cannot possibly take place in this age.'
" 'Great heavens!' I exclaimed, 'I 111arvel at <your
adducing > a proof so flimsy and weak that a child would
laugh at it ! The common folk and tradespeople are a
branch from your stem ; their beliefs are gathered from
your.discourses and their errors learned from you. And
now you regard these beliefs of theirs as " fundamental
principles of fagith " which are necessarily true, cling to
figinents more unsubstantial than a spider's web, and cast
yourselves adrift from the "Strong Rope " and " Most Firm
Hand-hold 1 of the Lord.'
When the discussion had reached this point, they,
being unable to justify their deeds, sought to repudiate
them, saying, 'We have not pronounced the ban of infi-
delity against this sect, nor have we seen in them any evil,
nor do we seek to shed their blood. The author of this
bloodshed and these imprisonments, and the cause of this
terror and persecution is the King.'
CC( Why then,' I retorted, 'did ye not enjoin on him
the right and forbid him the wrong, seeing that in the Book
of God ye are bidden to suinnion igiieii into the way of
I Kur'ān, ii, 257; xxxi, 21.
A BOLD APOLOGIST.
177 hg _
righteousness and salvation, and not to hide from them the
divine ordinances V
" Finding my arguments stronger than their own and
my faith more firmly established, they remained silent, and
I continued, 'There is another point to which I would'eall
your attention. To day the Manifestation of God's com-
mand and the Well-spring of His inspiration is apparent in
the world, and, with God-given power, hath proclaimed his
mission, summoning the great ones of every people and
the kings of every nation to enter the Straight W and t
embrace the Firm Faith'.
ay  0
Ite believers should not march forth all
blessed verse, " T  Agreeably to the purport of the





together; and if a troop of every division of them march
not forth, it is only that they may study religion," was it
not incumbent on you to enquire into his doctrine, that
your uncertainty might give way to assurance and full con-
viction ? 0 assembly of divines, why do ye keep men back
from the fount of the sweet water of God, and shut them
out from the Straight Way of the Lord? Why do ye, hide
the truth with falsehood, strive to extinguish God's Light,
and sell religion for the world ? Answer fairly: can Almighty
God, under whose absolute control are the souls of all man-
kind and the uttermost parts of the earth, patiently suffer
anyone to maintain successfully a false claim to saintship
and authority in such ise that the most discerning minds
w
and the keenest intellects should submit to his sway, as
you have seen them do in this case 2'
Since the BAbi apologist at the beginning of his discourse
(p. 174-supra) spoke of his fellow-believers. as having been sub-
jected to persecutions "for nearly thirty years" it is evident that
Beh,Vu'llih is here intended. The concluding words in the
sentence can hardly allude to anything else than his Epistles to
the Kings (Alwdh-i-Sald.tin).
2 Kur'an, ix , 123.
N. H.
12





f
178 THE NEW HISTORY. I A BOLD APOLOGIST.  179
Aye,' said one of those present, 'men submitted to By Him in whose control my spirit lies,' g said . I,
his attraction, allowed his claims, believed in him, and 'I hold myself as nothing more than a believing servant of
made him their refuge, but without proof or token.' the Lord of Unity, neither do I claim aught beyond this.
Then,' answered 1, 1 to God is the greater glory for But answer me fairly: what greater miracle can there be
endowing His Manifestation with a majesty so unap- than that I should thus fearlessly confront you, expose
proachable and a power so supreme as to be in himself a your errors, and dispute with you, undeterred by fear,of
sufficient proof. He is the realization of the blessed word your malignant hatred, or your notorious eagerness to shed
the blood of such as hold this certain truth 2 For every man
0 Thou whose esse??ce proveth Thine essence," the mirror of
the glorious truth ,High is He above all likeness to the of discernment well knows that any one of you who should
have reason to believe that lie had incurred the enmity of
manifestations of Ilis Xames and Attributes", tile fulfil- a powerful noble or high officer of the King would be over-
ment of the word " Exempt is Ile from particil)ation in
the 92ature of His creatures ", inasmuch as He is independent come by that dread, and fearfulness which are the constant
of all else than Himself and of all which men denote by portion of the erring, and would hasten to hide himself
like a timid girl.'
the term " thing 11 When the discussion had reached this point, my ad-
" They replied, qu proof of your assertion shew us versaries dispersed from before me and assembled in another
some miracle the like of which no man can perform.'
" ' I am but a humble servant of God,' said 1, ' and a place, whither they summoned others of God's servants
believer in the King of kings : yet if all of you, great and whom they had arrested and imprisoned with me, and - began
small, prince and peasant, learned and simple, will agree, to ply them with questions. Then they called me into
their presence a second time. When I entered, I saw the
respecting the sign you desire, and will publicly notify it to
friends of God sitting abashed and confounded before them.
all men, and appoint a day for its exhibition, 1, by means of
'Tell me,',cried 1, 'of what wrong towards church or state
that instrument known as tile telegraph whereby commu-
nication can be established with distant lands, will, oil the these poor innocents have been guilty, that in the land of
day so appointed, pray him who is the Manifestation of KAsliAn they should have been exposed to the malice and
Divine Power and the Well-spriug of Revelation' to shew spite of a pack of scoundrels, and that you, instead of suc-
couring the afflicted and protecting the oppressed, should
you what you desire.' punish and imprison them V
" Perceiving by the confidence with which I advanced Then a certain divine of K.4shAn oversteppi . ng all
SO bold a challenge that I stood on firm ground, they
replied, it was you who first provoked this contest, and it is bounds of decorum, cried out at me, 'What hast thou to
do with these, that thou seekest to defend them and darest
therefore incumbent upon you to shew -us soine,-,igihi on your
own part, that we may admit the validity of your claim.' call learned and eminent divines " tyrants " and " scoun-
drels " V
TI-ieihi was 1 filled with wrath, and sat down on my
i.e. Behi'u'll* who must at this time have already taken
knees, and thus spake 'Such words beseem not thee and
up his abode at Acre iiii Syria. See n. I on p. 174 sitpra.
12-2





180
THE NEW HISTORY.
such as thee, who are unworthy to speak of higher thing,-,.
It is only the ignorant who dare show discourtesy to those
superior to themselves alike in birth and position, and
none but fools fancy thernselves wise in the absence- of all
learning and culture. How can one ignorant alike of the
decencies of society and the amenities of discussion, and
neglectful of the ordinary rules of good breeding incumbent
upon all, account himself wise in matters of faith, and com-
potent to decide as to the repudiation or acceptance of
God's elect? ' "
Repeated attempts were subsequently made at KerbelA
and Nejef to compass the death of this learned apologist,
but these were frustrated by the justice of His Majesty the
King, who, to put a stop to the trouble, subjected him to
a temporary confinement. No one can blame the King for
acting tIlUa3 ; for such is the influence which the clergy
enjoy, and -so great is their power in every department of
the state, that they have nullified the sovereign's au-
thority in exactly the same way as they have destroyed all
but the name of religion and law. Through their successive
encroachments and usurpations of power the King is re-
duced to the semblance of a lifeless body, or a half-killed
bird whose struggles tell but of approaching death .... The
King cannot issue ally command or take any step opposed to
their views, and they imagine that lie exists but to maintain
their authority and to give effect to their decisions. Thus
should any governor or minister, however powerful, issue
any order or take any steps to secure the well-being of those
subject to him, or to proinote the national prosperity, with-
out first consulting them, they will, by a mere hint, incite
the people of his province or city to harass, vex, and thwart
him till they have driven him out, after which they will
fall to plundering men's property and carrying off their
w
i
t
OVERWEENING ARROGANCE OF THE CLERGY. 181
wives, without the least respect for the authority of the
King or any other person. That they should so act towards
governors is indeed a common-place scarcely worthy of
mention, for they have always behaved in the same un-
seemly fashion towards the most powerful monarchs of
former days, not suffering them to take any step in accord-
ance with their own judgement, or to adopt any measure
for the good of the nation ; and, at the least opposition or
offence, inciting the people to rebel against the royal au-
thority. Down to the present day they have continued to
hold the government and the people in subjection to them-
selves, and have,at all timep been the cause of national





decay. All history bears witness to the truth of this as-
sertion, on which it is unnecessary to expatiate further; but
at no previous time have any clergy possessed such power
as is now wielded by the mullds of Persia, who regard them-
selves as the representatives of the ImAms, and call their
kings " dogs of the Imims' threshold." If some effectual
means be not soon adopted to disperse this hierarchy, nul-
lify their power, and destroy their authority, they will ere
long bring about the fall of this empire also, seeing that
they ha~e now waxed exceedingly bold and powerful.
On the return of His Majesty the King from Europe' they
not only clamoured for the dismissal of the Prime Mi-
nister, circulating false reports of his atheism; but also
prevented the introduction of railways, which would have
greatly conduced to the prosperity of the country and the
freedom of the people. Had the King not adopted the
I Nisiru'd-Din Shih set out from Teherin on his first journey
to Europe on Saturday, the 21st of Safar, A.H. 1290 (April 20th,
1873), and acrain set foot on Persian soil on Saturda , the 13th of
ZD  y
Rajab of the same ear (September 6th, 1873). This allusion is
y
important, as giving some indication of the date when this
history was written.





182
THE NEW HISTORY.
wise policy of conciliating them by acceding to their deg-
mands, they would assuredly, as they had openly declared,
have refused to let the Royal cavalcade enter the capital, or
the King take his seat on the throne. In short, if effectual
steps be not taken to check these mischief-makers, they
will, for the attainment of their own selfish ends, so destroy
and blot out this dynasty that no trace of its existence
shall rernain on the page of time, even as they destroyed
the mighty monarchies of bygone days. Even towards the
great kings of the Achwineiiian dynasty they behaved in
a manner which it is a shame even to mention. Did not
rash and inconsiderate priests persuade ShfrAy6 to kill
King Parviz in order that he might becoiihie king in his
stead, and afterwards induce him to put to death twellt3T-
one of his brethren, each one a prince of the blood royal?'
Yet even then, notwithstanding his obedience to their will,
they would not suffer hiiihi to govern according to his own
pleasure.
["Would'st thou know the many ills obedience to a priesthood
brinas I
ZD
Read the records of the world, and search the stories of its
kinas!
C)
Did not the territory of this saine Persia once extend
eastwards to Transoxania and the mountains of Thibet and
China, westwards to the river Euphrates, southwards to the
Gulf of Oman, and northwards to the Aral Mountains?
Even in the time of Kliusraw Parviz, notwithstanding all
the troubles and revolutions brought about by the priests,
the revenue of what remained of the Persian Einpir(,~
amounted to eight hundred and twenty-nine crore~-' ~of
1 See Tabarf's Annales, series i, Vol. ii, pp. 1058- -1060, and
Noeldeke's Geseltichte der Perser und Araber z2o, Zeit der 8Ctsa;1,j_
den, pp. 379-383, and n. I at the foot of the latter page.
2 The Persian crore is half a million.
I
DISASTROUS RESULTS OF CLERICAL INFLUENCE. 183g
Jinairsj of red gold, while in might, majesty, and power they
had no rival. All the kings of the earth rendered homage
to the monarchs of the Acheemenian dynasty and were as
naught beside them, just as at the present day Persia is as
naught beside the nations of Europe, but is like a dismissed
governor or a cancelled edict, heeded by none. This abase-
ment is the outcome of the learning of these divines, these
upholders of religion and law, and the result of their undue
power and influence. By the troubles which they have
stirred up Persia has been made desolate and reduced to a
few empoverished and deserted provinces, the total revenue





derived from which at the present day only amounts to
seven crores <of Ntmaws>', and even of this, were the
taxes fairly levied, not half would comp into the royal
treasury.
Shame on the people of Persia for their lack of spirit!
By God, they have not a spark of patriotic or manly feeling;
they have grown habituated to cowardice, falsehood, and
flattery; they acquiesce in tyranny and oppression, and,
relinquishing the position of free agents, have become mere
passive instruments in the hands of the clergy' Do they
forget that in days of yore their glory and honour, their
wealth and prosperity, were the envy of all peoples ? Do
they not ask themselves why they have now become a
bye-word amongst the nations for abject misery, meanness,
and baseness ? Moreover did they not once excel all
mankind in every art, trade, and handicraft? Why are
they now sunk in savagery, poverty, and ignorance, and
notorious for their utter want of generosity, justice, and
wisdom ? Do they never reflect why it is that their science
is now restricted to such things as purifications, washing
the orifices of the body, dyeing the beard, clipping the
1 Between a million and a million and a half pounds sterling.





184 THE NEW HISTORY, HYPOCRISY OF THE CLERGY. 185
moustache, disputing about payment of tithes and alms, the Dominant" "to whom belongeth dominion"'. -Well
atonement for wrongs', ImAm's money, and the like, for says Hdfiz,
the determination of which things even it does not suffice?
"These preachers, who, when in their pulpits, of virtue make
Yet so heedless are they that, they do not perceive that such a display,
most of these divines originally spring from the rustic Behave, I assure you, in private in quite a dissimilar way.
That they put any faith in the Judgement they preach one
population or the scum of the towns. They enter our can scarcely believe
cities and colleges with a snhiock and a staff, and feet full When Him who shall judge them they daily attempt to out-
wit and deceive."2
of asores encased in coarse socks and ealivas shoes. There,
by the alms and votive offerings of the people, by begging i  Most people, however, have not sufficient sense to per-
from this one and that one, by prayers and fastings paid ceive from what sources all these luxuries, powers, shops,
for at the rate of two Winains a year, by reading through the villages, lands, aqueducts, possessions, and moneys which
whole Kur'6n for a kr(b?., ~and by fees obtained for the the clergy possess are derived. Have they skill in working
performance of devotions, they manage to live in extreme mines ? No. Do they traffic in the merchandise of India,
wretchedness and poverty. After reading a few books, China, America, or JEurope ? No. Do they traverse land
learning Arabic, filling their minds with all manner of and sea, or cultivate fields which lie waste ? No. Have
doubts, hesitations, and vain scruples, and developing they amassed their wealth by the discovery of new arts ?
their obsolete superstitions and prejudices, they leave No. This luxury and opulence results, as all, wise or
college, take their seats in the chair Of -tile Law and simple, may plainly see, fro in -the plunder of rich and poor,
the Intimate, and forthwith become the absolute arbiters from payments for legal decisions written or pronounced,
and law-givers of the nation, the controllers of all moil's from the profits of writing, " I decree this", or saying, " I
lands and possessions, the owners of horses, mules, gold, and tness to this " and "it is thus and thus", and from the
CILM wi
silver. They then think themselves entitled to set their
hire obtained for the use of their honourable seals. Such
feet on the necks of all mankind, to lord it over the noble, being the case, what folly it is to take as guides men so
to maintain troops of horses and retinues of servants, to notoriously evil and hypocritical-, '-to follow their opinions,
claim to be the vicegerents of the ImAni, to receive his to be governed by their decisions, to cringe to them, atter
titlieas, and to make atonements for wrongs. They account them, beseech their favour, and reckon them, forsooth, as
themselves the most noble amongst all creatures and the the repositories of learning! For uglystics and thinkers alike
most perfect, the generality of men as "like cattle"', and recognise three degrees of knowledge and three classes of
the common folk as "even more astray"'. They become learned men, corresponding to the Truth, tghe Path, and
dead men's heirs, consumers of endowinelIts, and collectors
of tithes and thirds", and usurp the station of " the One, 1 Kur'ān, xl, 16.
See the foot-notes on P. '17 szipra. 2 For the original text of these verses, see Rosenzweig-
2 Kur'an, vii, 178; xxv, 46. Schwannau's edition of the Divdin of VdfiF, vol. i, p. 342, first
3 lbid. and fourth couplets.





186 THE NEW HISTORY. CLASSIFICATION OF LEARNED MEN.  187
the Law'. Knowledge obtained by divine illuiihiiiiatioii and an atheist. The second class are trees without fruit,
through the fulness of God's grace, without effort or study wise in theory but not in practice. These also, although
on the part of the recipient, is called " Imparted " or " Im- they have no real eminence, and reap none of the fruits of
mediate Knowledge"'. Knowledge revealed after long search  their knowledge, should still, in consideration of the form
b
and striving on the part of the recipient, but not arrived at of wisdom which they possess, be treated with respect and
by induction or reasoning, is called " Ecstatic " or " Dis- deference, and to speak slightingly of them is a grave fault.
closed Knowledge"'. Of neither of these kinds of know- As to the third class, who deliberately disobey God's com-
ledge have the clergy any share. As to the third kind of mands, and act contrary to what they know and teach, it
knowledge, obtained by toil and study, it is known as can be easily seen that they are no better than thieves and
"Acquired" or "Ordinary Knowledge"", and comprises traitors clad in a garb of knowledge, who pollute the whole
knowledge of the Law, and of the means whereby happiness world with their foul deeds and words, use their science as
in the life to come and disregard of worldly objects may be 11 an instrument for plundering mankind, and make of legal
secured. By it are the faulty perfected and the erring quibbles and fictions of their own devising steps to secure
guided. By it are men taught the way'of salvation and their own advancement. The wickedness of their nature
the mode of performing acceptable service to God. By it prompts them to practise every species of treachery and
are they rescued from the abyss of error and led to the deceit, to give free rein to their wicked lusts, and to yield
loftiest heights of sanctity and blessedness. Those who an unreserved allegiance to the devil. These are in very
have this knowledge are also divisible into three classes. truth hypocrites and liars, inasmuch as their outward
The first class are such as put it into practice, regulate appearance is at variance with their actual life, and their
their conduct by it, and thus asectire the results above enu- hearts agree not with their lips. God hath called the
merated. To call in question the conduct of such as these hypocrites accursed and rejected in all the sacred books,
is downright infidelity, and lie who does so is an unbeliever  and so, wherever in this history allusion is made to their
I Rakikat, Tarikat, Sltari'at. The Law is incumbent on all evil qualities, it applies only to this third class, and no
believers, and contains the commandments revealed as necessary general condemnation of learned doctors is intended. A true
divine was the late Sheykh Murtazg' (whose station may
for the direction of their conduct. The Path is the higher ethical
and moral standard to which such as would know the Truth-the God exalt!), for he renounced all worldly pomps and
inward mystery of Being-must conform. "Live the life," says luxuries, would not on any pretext take from anyone a
a well-known aphorism of the in stics, "and thou shalt know tthle single dhzair, and [during the earlier part of his life] lived
y
doctrine." contentedly in poverty *Tsuch that at his death the total
2 '112a-i-vahbi or laduni. This is the knowledge of the
prophets. value of all that he possessed did not amount to two and
3 '11nz-i-zawk1 or kash . This is the knowled e of the
'fl, 9 *[although in hia-, later days the fees paid to him for -his
mystics, saints, and SUM&
4 '11m-i-kasbi or rasnii. This is the knowledge of divines, 1 See my Traveller's Narrative, vol. ii, p. 86 and footnote, and
p. 129.
doctors, and scholars. I





188 THE NEW HISTORY. EXCULPATION OF THE KING. 189
twenty tqbnains'~*. So also, when I was in 18fithill, one of
my friends told me of the piety and virtue of a lately deceased
divine's brother, whose honoured name has through lapse
of time escaped my memory. ' For when the people be-
sought him with much importunity to accept the position
rendered vacant by his brother's death and to act as their
spiritual director and leader in prayer, refusing to accept
his apologies and excuses, and finally compelling him by
their urgency to accede to their request, he stipulated for
three days' grace. When these had elapsed he repaired to
the mosque and assumed the functions thrust upon him.
One of his intimates enquired of him the reason why lie
had demanded the three days' grace. He answered, "I
had in my house fifteen maunds of barley. Generosity
and justice alike forbade that I should have by me pro-
vision for fifteen days while some lacked for two days'
food. During those three days I distributed this barley
amongst the deserving poor, and only when I had done this
did I feel myself entitled to perform divine service."
Men such as these one may indeed describe as earnest
and learned divines, but not those who in a year of famine
daily saw a thousand dying for want of a morsel of bread,
and yet refused to sell the corn hoarded in their granaries
for forty tqimaiiis a kharvair. Such was actually the case in
TeherAn, where one of the clergy living in odour of sanctity
and enjoying universal respect had in store enough corn to
satisfy all the people of the city, the season for a new
harvest being, moreover, nigh at hand. The King wished
to buy his corn at forty tibn6ins the kharvrtr and sell it at
a cheap rate to the people, so that they might not perish
lectures enabled him to live on a somewhat more liberal
scale.]*
I At the present rate of exchange less than R7.
I
of hunger. But this reverend, religious, righteous ~ ex-
ponent of the Law withheld the people's food in the hope
that its value might rise above forty t7ima'giis ! May such
as these be the sacrifice of VAtil the Armenian merchant,
who, some years ago, during the famine at H.6jf Tarkhdn,
procured through his agents in neighbouring countries
a sufficient quantity of corn at twenty-five roubles per
sack of five poods', imported it to HAjf TarkhAn, and sold
it to his fellow-townsmen for ten roubles the sack rather
than suffer them to know the meaning of famine.
Men of sense are fully alive to the wickedness of these
hypocrites, and well know that the existence of such a body
is a menace to the order and well-being of the community
and the stability of the government; but the fear of
forfeiting their position, their property, or even their lives,
keeps them silegnt. Let none take exception to what we





have alleged, or shall hereinafter, as occasion arises, allege
as to the malign influence of this body on the government,
and let all know that herein no particle of blame attaches
to His Most Sacred Majesty the King, although in general
kings are held accountable for all that takes place within
the scope of their authority. But these clergy, by reason
of their evil nature and their anxiety to retain the
authority which they now enjoy, are continually seeking to
impair the strength of the government and to encroach on
the sovereign's powers, and though they describe them-,
selves as " praying for the continuance of the state," there
are in truth none who wish it so ill. They are ever bent
on securing sole and supreme sway, becoming dominant in
every department of affairs, and absorbing every prerogative
of the king, even as they already regard their own decisions
as superior in authority to those of the civil courts, dis-
I The Russian pood is equivalent to about 36 lbs.





190 THE NEW H1STORY. THE Ni'IBU'S-SALTANA'S LETTER. '191
regard the commands and prohibitions of the functionaries
of the state, and stigmatize all government officials as
tyrants and oppressors. Yet the respect and consideration
which they enjoy are in truth theirs only through the
King's bounty, and they are but one class of his servants,
differing from others only in this, that while all others
perform services commensurate with the wages which
they receive, and exhibit gratitude and devotion pro-
portionate to the favours bestowed upon them, they do
but devour the public wealth and substitute treason for
service.
During the quarrel which arose in the reign of the late
King Fath-'Alf ShAh between the Persian and Turkish
governments and the war consequent thereon', His High-
liess the late NA'ibu's-Saltaua was engaged on the frontier
in repelling the attacks of the Ottoman forces. The clergy
of Tabriz, regarding his absence as their opportunity, began
to stir up sedition and create disturbanc&s. The NA'ibu's-
Saltana wrote to his deputy a letter expressing his views of
their conduct, part of which we shall quote as bearing on
the subject before us.
[Copy of t1w N(Fibit's-Sal.tana's letter to his deputy.]
"It is your pilaws of sugar and beans and bowls of
broth and syrup which have made these gentry so vicious.
The Arab steed will not eat more than its due measure of
barley, and the Cossack gelding, though it should eat ten
maunds of corn at a feed, does not go mad with exuberance;
but the wretched pack-horse, if it gets a trifle more barley
I ie. the war of A.H. 1237 (A.D. 1822). It was in May of that
year that 'Abb6s Mimi the Nd'ibu's-Saltana marched from
Tabriz against the Turks.
than usual, or is allowed to graze unhindered in the paddock,
first bites or kicks the groom who tends it.
The gardener's feet, 0 rose-bud sweet,
Were the first to feel thy thorn!'
From the time of the Moghul invasion, when the
Sheykhu'l-1slAm Eof TabrfzJ declared it to be expedient for
the MusulmAns to take oaths of allegiance, until to-day,
whether under Jihin-ShAh, the Muzaffars, the Safavf Kings,
Nddir Shdh, Karim Khin, the Deylamfs, or Ahmad KhAD,
never have the clergy of Tabriz and of Persia generally
enjoyed so great a measure of respect, honour, considera-
tion, and power. It is through our fortune and by our
favour that they have waxed so great ; and now for that
good they return us this evil ; for to-day, when we are
arrayed against a hostile army, leaving our unguarded
property to the care of the people of Tabriz, they create
disturbances, close the shops and bazaars, go off to Seyyid
Haniza and the Bigh-i-Mfsha, and furthermore publish
abroad their exploits, some in the Russian dominions, some,





like Safi KhAn, at the Court, others in Turkey. The faces
of the people of Tabrfz are indeed whitened! I-lad Fath-
'Ali KhAn possessed a particle of self-respect, or the elders
of the city a grain of ihnanhood, an ignorant fellow like
FattAh would never have dared to act thus. That these
gentry should not be sated with broth and pilaw is only
natural, but how is it that you have not yet had enough of
the hypocritical piety of these mulVis ? Books enough
have been written about religious warfare ; the divine
mission of Muhammad has been sufficiently demonstrated
we are tired of the wrangling of the colleges
Yet still to your darling you render
The worship and service of yore.'
If one-hundredth part of all this talk about religious war-





192
THE NEW HISTORY.
fare had been addressed to armed men instead of to peaceful
citizens, by this time there would not be a single infidel
left to necessitate champions for the true faith. Hence-
forth, at all events, you had best invite to your Thursday
and Friday banquets the elders of the city, the magistrates
of the different quarters, persons worthy and honourable,
and men of position and sense. Away with tables spread
for hypocrisy -and cant! Learn to recognize base and
spurious Coin '.1
'Coin which bears the Sulff superscription
Is not always pure and unalloyed;
Many a dervish-cloak is only worthy
In the blazing fire to be destroyed."
Hitherto no advantage has accrued to us from our
perusal of this page or our pursuance of this path ; oil the
contrary, all these troubles which beset us are the outcome
of the Friday prayers and Thursday evening devotions of
these mulbis. If you desire the society of the learned, have
you not in your city accomplished scholars like Hijf Fizil
and HAjf Razzdk Beg, who work much, eat little, and live
reasonably, honestly, and soberly? God is our refuge! Where
ten mullris are met together, there is God! However often
you ask, 'Art thou full ? 12 they answer 'Is there any
more?" like lazy over-fed pack-horses, which are consumers
-of chaff and demolishers of barley. May they be the sacri-
fice of the Turkish Efendfs and the Frankish priests!
They have neither learning enough to write a confutation
of the latter, nor zeal and entliuagiasm enough to decorate
their mosques and roads with bunches of flowers like the
former. Let them call upon the people, to defend their
country and protect their faith, in like manner as they
were wont to do in our presence. But when they do
I Hdfiz, ed. Rosenzweig-Schwannau, vol. i, p. 474, first couplet.
2 Kur'ān, 1, 29.
ANECDOTE OF A THIEF AND A MULLk., 193
muster up courage to unsheathe the sword, it is not against
the Ottoman troops, but against Mimi Amin of IsfahAn!
To hunt tame animals and conduct themselves like mad-
men seems to be their creed. But since they are grown
so bold, and have armed themselves with clubs and swords,
let them at any rate be good enough to employ their
weapons against rebels. Herein we delegate to you our
authority by these our letters, and empower you to act as
you may think best in all matters. Farewell."
If these clergy, who make such pretensions to learning,,
who regardAliemselves as the wisest and most competent
of men, who have obtained the control of every department
of state, who give effect to every command which they
issue, and who consider all men bound to submit to their





decisions, were even men of sense and intelligence, who
would educate and develop the people instead of reducing
them to beggary with their legal quibbles and tricks of
priest-craft, it would not so much matter. But, -as a- matter
of fact, their stupidity, ignorance, and folly are absolutely
unparalleled; though the common people, sunk as they
are in brutish ignorance, give them credit for faithfulness
and virtue. Thus it is related that a thief was brought
before a certain eminent divine of Isfaghin, and made con-
fession of his crime, saying, " I went to the man's house a,
little while before midnight with the intention of robbing
it. Till near dawn I was occupied in forcing the doors of
rooms and wrenchino, open boxes. When the day began to
dawn the occupants of the house discovered my presence
and effected my capture." "Accursed wretch!" exclaimed
the learned divine, "If thou wert engaged in theft from
midni lit until mornino, when and where didst thou
9  0)
perform the night-prayer?" The atmosphere of the
college and cloister had so disordered the poor divine's
13
N. H.





I  I
194 THE NEW HISTORY.
brain that lie did not so much as perceive that thieves are
not in the habit of paying much attention to their devo-
tions, and that they do not as a rule perforin the obligatory
prayers of the day, much less the supererogatory prayers of
night !
"Never bath college or cloister yielded a man of agense;
Perish these hornes of folly, whose learning is all pretence!"
A certain wise and learned Persian has unsparingly
exposed the evil lives and vicious practices of these vntll(ts,
supporting his assertions with forcible proofs and eloquent
arguments, and sliewing that the disordered state of Persia,
the decay of its government, the wretchedness of its people,
and the decline of religion are directly traceable to them.
He points out, amongst other things, that religion has been
brought into contempt by the mass of spurious traditions
and absurd fables which they have fabricated, whereby
other traditions which are authentic are brought int - o dis-
repute, - Thus they assert in their -books that the sun
turned back in its course thirteen times for His Holiness
the Chief of believers', in support of which assertion they
adduce a thousand traditions, being too ignorant of science
and too devoid of sense to understand that such retrogres-
sion of the sun is an absolute impossibility, and that
furthermore, even could such an impossibility have taken
place, all men would have observed it, and would have
sought to discover its cause. For assuredly, had so in-
credible a prodigy occurred, all would, without further
hesitation or delay, have embraced the religion of IslAm,
and at least they would not have failed to record in their
chronicles so remarkable an event.
So again they do not hesitate to attribute to his Holi-
ness the Chief of believers' the same neglect of religious
0
I Ulf ibn Abi Tilib, the first InAm.
ABSURD FABLES CREDITED BY THE CLERGY. 195
duties which characterizes themselves. For they say that
one day he overslept the season of mid-day prayer, and
did not awake till sundown to discover his neglect. Well
says Jaldlu'd-Din Ru'mf in answer to this absurd and sense-
less fiction-
"A wakeful heart a hundred sights espies,
Though slumber overcome the weary eyes.
The Prophet said, 'My eyes are closed in sleep,
Yet my heart faileth not its watch to keep'.
Of this heart-watch to tell the meaning true
A thousand ffasnavis were all too few."
Notwithstanding all their toilsome studies and pre-
tensions to profound learning, they do not yet understand
that for the sun there is neither rising nor setting, but that





evening becomes morning and day night by the movement
of the earth, so that the day of Persia is the night of
America, and vice versa'. For the sun has a motion of its
own, but not round this earth ; rather its attraction causes
the earth to revolve continually round itself at a speed of
sixty thousand miles an hour. For it to turn back in its
course, then, the earth would need to perform a retrograde
movement until it reached the point which corresponds to
the post-meriaian.
So also they say in their books that on the day of the
'_.4shAra` noon lasted seveDty-two hours, never perceiving that
every man of sense and asound reason must deride such an
assertion, and will suppose all the rest of their traditions
to be as false as this. For it is perfectly evident to every
rational being that had the forenoon of that day really been
prolonged to seventy-two hours the whole order of the
world would have been disturbed, and all men must needs
I The tenth day of Muharrani, on which the battle of Kerbeli
was coigicluded, and the martyrdom of Itnim Huseyn and his
companions consunimated.
13-2





196 THE NEW HISTORY.
have observed it and recorded it in theirhistories~. Secondly,
as is plain to the most simple, were an Arabian sun to
a3hitic continhliously for seventy-two hours the sand on the
plain would become like fire, the blood would boil in the
veins, and no living thing could survive. Thirdly, men of
science have ascertained that anyone deprived of sleep for
seventy-two hours of necessity dies, iihiore especially if, in
addition to this, he partakes of no food. How then could
that host of horse and foot burdened with their harness
and weapons of war continue to fight for seventy-two hours
in that scorching Arabian desert without eating, sleeping,
or drinking ? No man could do this ; and these were not
lindins whose holy nature might endow them with ini-
raculous powers of endurance.
'I-JIn truth, any man of discernment has but to consider
attentively the sayings and doings of these nudVis to per-
ceive that their folly exceeds ill bounds and surpasses all
conception. When, for instance, in the reign of SultAii
1juseyn the Safavi, in the year A.11. 1135, the Afghans, led
by Mfr MahmAd GliilzA'f, invaded Persia, and drew near
to IsfahAn (at that time the capital), the clergy reassured
the king, promising to proclaim a religious war, and de-
claring that, fortified by the Holy Law and their own
sanctity, they would not suffer a single Afghan to escape
with his life. When the Afghans had encompassed IsfaliAlt
and laid siege to it, the clergy assembled to drive them
away with cries of " Verily there is no god but God", and
these cries were the sole outcome of their religious war.
It is indeed a matter for astonishment that iiotwithastaiidiiig
their excessive folly these people dare lay claim to be
spiritual guides and representatives of the lindius, and
consider themselves the most discerning and virtuous of
mankind.
jSo, too, in the reign of the late King Fath-'Alf Slidli, ill
i  i
I
I
WAR WITH RUSSIA PROVOKED BY THE MULLks. 197
the year <A.11. 1241>', when strife waas impending with
lliiassia, the clergy urged the government to make war.
Sheykh Ja'far the Arab and Mfrzi Masih were most im-
portunate in this matter, saying, "We will proclaim a
religious war, and our courage shall rend asunder the veil
of Russia's lionour; we will invade and occupy the whole
of that prosperous kingdom, and, fortified by our Holy
Religion, will take captive all their soldiers, or make them
food for the mace and the sword. " But in the end their
religious war resulted only in disgrace and humiliation to
Persia, while the Russian troops occupied the whole pro-
vince of AzarbaijAii and its dependencies, and advanced





as far as TurkmAn-chAy, which is but a few stages from
TeherAn. Had the Persians not concluded a peace and
agreed to all the Russian demands, the Russians~ would
have occupied Telierin, and perhaps the whole of Persia.
Indeed it was only the attitude of the E uglish government
(which will not allow RiiaSsia to interfere with Persia, be--
cause they regard it as a barrier between the ltuasasian terri-
tories and their own) that induced ltiiaiasia to consent to
peace, because, had she not done so, aslie would have been
abliged to fight the l~,ii,liasli. Whoever reads with attention
the articles of the treaty concluded at TurkinAn-chAy will
be filled with pity for the utter hell)leassness of Persia and
her readiness to make any concesasion for the sake of peace.
Thus a religious war kindled by a few ignoraii,t wretcl~es
resulted in the loss of the half of Persia, and the destruction
A.D. 1826. The date is left blank in the ms.) I and is asupplied
by myself from the JVdsik-A?t't-Taw(!rikh, in which, Under the
year A.H. 1241, a full account of the rash folly of the vadlas in
provoking the war will be found. See also Watson's History of
Persia ftom the beginning of the Nineteenth Century till the year
1858, pp. 208--209; and my Traveller'sNarrative, pp. 118--119,
and n. 3 on the former page.
i





198 THE NEW HISTORY. THE BiB AT MECCA. 199
of her power; whereas, had Persia not entrusted her lionour
to these dolts, and had she fira-,t cast out the foe within,
the foe without would not have ventured on such high-
handed aggression, she would not have been so humbled
before her neighbours, and foreigners would not have
leagued together to take possession of her land. But these
household foes have now waxed so strong that, if matters
continue as they are, God only knows what disaster may
befall Persia through thein.J'*
[How Ris Supreme Iloliness (the lives qf all beside him be
his sacrifice !) made knomw his religion; how he sent
j4ithful converts into the regions round abotit to
announce his mission; how he bade Jendb-i-Beibu'l-
Bab go to Isfah(in ; how Jewilb-i-JIttkaddas of Khard-
. at Is/4 (t
setin, who was a professo? h 'n and a leader
of divine worship, beliered on. seeing God's revealed
verses; how he was sent to Ye--d and Kir9nain, that
qf~er preaching the doch-hie there lie might come to
and how Hgii Moliness proceeded to Mecca
returned thence to Bushire.]
Now in the year A.11. 1261', when the appearance of His
Holiness the BAb (whom the BAbis call " His Supreme
Holiness") had, by means of those learned men. who had
*[At all eventas it is best for us to ceaase from this dis-
course, and to narrate in detail the history of His Supreme
Holiness (may the life of all Contingent Being be his
sacrifice 1). And our sole object is to aa~et forth the truth
of the matter.]*
1 A.D. 1845. See my Y'raveller's Aarrative, pp. 251-252,
where I have striven to fix the dates of this and other events
connected with the earlier portion of the Bib's mission as nearly
as possible.
charged themselves with the promulgation of his doctrines,
been noised abroad throughout all the provinces, and had
in Shfrdz especially obtained the fullest notoriety, His
Holiness returned from Mecca, whither he had gone to
proclaim his religion, to the end that the fame of the Mani-
festation might be more fully diffused through all countries.
Thus writes the late HAjf MÕrzā JAnj 1 :-"A certain pious
and trustworthy person belonging to the mercantile class,
and noted for his virtue and sincerity, on his return from
Mecca related as follows : 'I beheld the Lord of the world
performing the ceremony of circumambulation at the Holy
Mosque with such an air of solemn ecstasy, reverence, and
humility as filled me with ainazemeDt, so that I knew for a
surety that this must be either He who is to arise out of
the family of Muhammad', or else one of the Guardians'
p
who ashall accom any him. On returning to my lodging





I related what I had seen to my companions, confirming it
The discovery of this passage on ff 866-8711 of the Paris ms'
Awl. Pers. 1071) first led me to suspect that it might contain
the actual text of Hgjf MÕrzā JAnf's history. The merchant
whose narrative is quoted is there described as a "fellow country-
Man" of the author of the history ,," ~i :-_,Y.~ j-i ~j). A
marginal note added in another hand gives his ~ame as Hiji
Mubammad Rizd, the son of Hijf Rahfm the velvet-maker
and states that he lived for twelve years after his
conversion, suffered much at the hands of the unbelievers, was
repeatedly imprisoned, and finally died in the year A.R. 1274
(A.D. 1857-8). ~ubh-i-Ezell whom 1 questioned on the subject,
wrote to me that the person intended was probably Hdjf Muham-
mad RizA of Isfalidn' merchant, who died in prison about the
year A.H. 1270. It was given out by his gaolers that he bad
committed suicide by strangling himself.
2 ie..the Mahdf.
3 Concerning the " Guardians see Traveller's Narra-
tive, Vol. ii, pp. 303-4.





200 THE NEW HISTORY.
with an oath, because of the fullness of my conviction. I
subsequently enjoyed the privilege of iigleetiii, hill, at
Medina, where, according to the ineasure of my fitness, I
saw what I had to see, drew from it Iny OWD inference,
and confessed the a-,tifficieiicy of the proof revealed by His
Holiness.'"
To be brief, His Holiness returned by sea to Bushire.
t[He despatched a letter to Jenrtb-i-_Mu~wddas of KhtirisAii,
bidding him perform divine worship in the Sword-inaker's
Mosque at Sli1rAz and insert these words in the call to
prayer:-"l bear witness that 'Ali <Mul " iaiiiiiiad> His
,servant is the Remnant of God'." This was at the time
when Jen6b-i-111hekaddas, having met J(?)14b-i-B(ib?t'1-.B('f1b
at IsfitliAii', and having been converted by an- examination
of the sacred verses and prayers, had been commissioned
by His Supreme Holiness to go to Yezd and Kirniiii. There
lie attempted to convert 116jf Alulialinuad Karlin MIMI',
who, by reason of his overweening pride and presumption,
-repelled his attempts, and issued orders for him and MullA
'Ali Akbar of Ardistin, who was in his company, to be killed.
But the governnient protected them, as did also AkA Seyyid
Jawid the nutjt(thid', and they escaped to Nfrfz, and came
I See Kazern-Beg's last article on the Bibfs in the Journal
Asiatiq?ie for December 1866, pp. 486-488, especially lines 8 and
9 on the last page.
2 See pp. 40-42 s?tpra.
3 The chief of the modern Sheykhf school. See igiiy Travel-
ler's Yarrative, vol. ii, pp. 241-244.
4 ~kkA Scyyid Jawid of Kerbeli, a protihiinent member of the
clergy at Kirm6n, was himself a Bibf. When the schism be-
tween Subh-i-Ezel and Behi'u'lllih took place, he followed the
former. To his care h were many of Subh-i-Ezel's books and
papers entrusted. (See Traveller's Narrative, p. 342, n. 2.) He
was, as I have lately learned, the author of both volumes of the
THE BkB'S EMISSARIES CHASTISED. 201
thence to Slifriz, where they awaited the arrival of,-His
(t 'a
Holiness. As lie had been commanded, Jen ib-i-MuX ddcts
used there to perform the prayers in the inoasqiie which
is asituated near to the BAb's house in the sword-inaker's
bazaar, and Mulli 'Ali Akbar used to act asintt'ezzin and
to insert the new clause in the call to pragyer. The clergy,
greatly incensed, went before the governor and complained.
Ile accordingly sent to summon the ma'e,-,zhi into his
presence, but Je?ietb-i-Kuddqis' came first, and held a pro-
tracted discussion with him. The governor at length
ordered him to be smitten with many blows and to be cast
into prison. When the nut'e,=in was brought into the
govertior'as presence, lie asaw th em leading away Jena&i-
Kuddiis with a night-cap' on his head to prison. On





entering, he saw a number of the clergy and merchants
sitting round. He took his seat on the bare ground with-
out a carpet. The governor loaded him with reproacllea3,
.and bade lifin repeat the clause which lie had inserted
in the call to prayer. He did so. The governor then bade
his servants lead him forth from the assembly, bind him
to the triangle, and scourge him. So MullA Muhammad
SAdik received four hundred lashes with the whip'. One
Hasht Bihisht. (See my Traveller's Xarrative, vol. ii, pp. 351-
.364; and my Catalog?te and Description qf 27 Bdbi 3fanuseripts
in the J. it. A. Sr. for 1892, pp. 680--697.) The comparative
strength of the Ezelfs at Kirmin is probably largely due to his
influence. He died about 1884.
I For this and what follows cf. Traveller's Xarrative, pp. 5-6.
2 Cf. the account of the Bib's execution A P. 321 of my
Traveller's -Yarrative. The shab-kuldh, or night-cap, serves also
by day as a basis for the turban, which is wound round it. The
removal of the turban is a mark of disrespect.
3 This is the ecclesiastical method of inflicting castigation
0
(~iadd). The bastiDado on the soles of the feet is the form of
punishment generally resorted to by governors and civilians.
0





202 THE NEW HISTORY.
of his friends named MullA Abii TAlib, who had come to
the garden' to see what was taking place, was also aseized,
and scourged with four hundred lashes. Then they tied
up MullA 'Ali Akbar and inflicted on him two hundred
lashes, when, on the intercession of a certain merchant,
they desisted. Then the governor ordered a lighted candle
to be held under the beard of Mulli Abfi TAlib (which was
of great length and thickness) till it was burned, whereby
his chin also was severely scorched'. They likewise burned
the beard of Jen6b-i-.J1ttkaddas, which was also very long.
Then they were committed to prison.
[Next morning four executioners led them forth from
the prison, so that they were convinced that their martyr-
dom was at hand. Leading-ropes' were attached to them,
and, in the very height of summer, they were led barefoot
round the bazaars and the different quarters of the town
from morning till night, while the people spat on their
faces. They were then expelled from the city, and twelve
horsemen were sent by the governor to bring His supreme
Holiness from Bu shire.] t His Holiness had already started
from Bushire, and fell in with them on the road one dark
night. They did not recognize him, and would have passed
f~At this time Huseyn Khdn the governor <of Firs>
Sent several horsemen to Bushire to seek -out <the BAb>.~T'
1 Probably the same garden to which the Nfrfz captives were
brouaht, as described at p. 126 supra. It adjoins the governor's
0
palace, and in it is situated the stimmer-house called Kuld/64_
Firangi.
2 Cf. Traveller's Narrative, pp. 5-6.
3 Mahdr is the leading-rope attached to the nose of a camel.
It is not clear whether the noses of the BAN missionaries were
pierced, or whether the ropes were attached in some other
manner, as, for instance, round their necks.
THE BkB AT SHfRkZ.
203,
him by, but he called to them, saying, "Since you have
come in search of me, turn back, and let us go together."
So the horsemen, observing his behaviour, escorted him
with all respect to Shiriz, and made known all that had
happened to the governor, who, abandoning certain ideas.
which he had entertained, issued orders that after three
days all access to the BAb should be denied to his friends,
and that he should be prevented from writing or receiving
any letters. But however men may strive to hide the Sun
of Truth with the clouds of formal restrictions, its radiance
becomes but the more apparent; even as these people', the
more they are arrested and slain, do but continue to multiply
the more. So, although to all appearance the believers
were denied access to their Master, they still continued





to submit to him their questions and difficulties, and to,
receive repliea,;, for it is incumbent oil the generous to
answer him who ask S2, more especially when his questions.
refer to religious matters, and his demands are for guidance
and direction into the path of salvation. A number of'
people from the surrounding country also came to enquire
into the matter, and these likewise submitted their ques-
tions, and received, each according to his own capacity, full
and satiasfactory answers, whereby they too were brought
to believe.
The opponents of the Truth, however (according to the----
verse, " Verily t1w devi&- inspire tlieh- ftiends"), became.
cognizant of this, and informed the governor, who issued
orders for the Bib's arrest; and on the eve of Ramazin
I i.e. the BābÕs.
2 Suppl. Pers. 1071, f, 871 et seq. From this point onwards thoh
correspondence between the Paris ms. history and the Tarikli-i-g
Jadid is very close.
3 Kur'ān, vi, 121.





204 THE NEW HISTORY.
21st <A.H. 1261>' some of them [attacked] his house,
seized him and his venerable uncle *[HAji Seyyid 'A] f 2
(an old mail eighty years of age, very pious and en-
lightened, and greatly respected amongst his fellow iner-
chants), and brought them before the governor'.]* The
governor addressed them most discourteously, confiscated
all the Bib's property and liouaseliold goods, and inflicted
the bastinado on his uncle. t Then lie committed His
Holiness to the custody of 'Abdu'l-Hamid KhAn the chief
constable'.
Now at this time the Ocean of the Divine Wrath was
stirred for the warning and awakening of iihleii, and a,
grievous pestilence, which raged with especial fury in
Slifniz, fell upon the land of Persia. Great multitudes
perished; and a prophecy handed down by tradition fore-
telling the "White Plague" and the "Red Plague" as
In
signs of the new Dispensation was fulfilled. For the
Jscaled the wall ofj
*Tand brought them to the house of Huseyn KhAt,
DawlA
tTSo likewise lie inflicted many astril)es (11 Ifen4l)-i-
,Kttd(hii~s, aild M11111 'Alf Akbar of
Ardist,in, caused them to be led through the batz,,t,,trs with
I eadin g-ropes, and expelled them from the city.1 t
I Sept. 23rd, A.D. 1845. See Traveller's hiVai-i-at~ve, vol. ii, pp.
10-11, and 262.
~', See my Traveller's Yarrative, pp. 2 and 6, and Note B at
end.
3 This persoti I have in my tran8lation generally designated
the governor"  by which title he is generally
mentioned in L., nor hhtve I deemed it necessary to note every
1)1,g.tee where G. substitutes his name, Huseyn KhAti, or his other
title, _KZ(12n?6,d-Da?v1a.
4 Deirrigha.
5 Suppl. Pers. 1071, f. 88,1.
f. 88a.
I
THE 13~kB ESCAPES FROM SHfRkZ. 205
"White Plague" was what they now experienced; and the
"Red Plague", which signified sword and bloodshed, ap-
peared in MAzandardn and Zaiijdn and Nfrfz. And it
chanced that the son of 'Abdu'l-Hamid KhAn the chief-
constable fell sick of the pestilence and came nigh to
deatil'as door, and 'Abdu'l-Hamid besought the BAb, who
prayed for him, and he recovered. When 'Abdu'l-Hanifd
KhAu belield such evidence of spiritual power, lie believed,
and said to the BAb, "Depart whithersoever your holy
inclinations may lead you, and 1, so far from hindering
you, will assist you in every way that lies in my power." ' So





His Holiness W summoned AkA Muhainmad Huseyn of
Ardist6ii, and gave him fifty Wvuitns, saying, " Go to the
market-place, and there buy three horses with such-and-
such marks and distinctive qualities; and when you have
bought them, take them to the Mausoleum of Hdfiz, and
bring word to me." Muhammad Huseyn was - somewhat
surprised and puzzled at this precise description of the horses,
wmidering what he should do if three such horses should
not be immediately forthcoming, or if they should refuse
to let him have them for fifty tkmains, and why their
signs shm~ld be thus specified. In this state of wonder
lie went to the market-place, and saw a mail with three
horses exactly such as had been described to him. These
lie bought and brought to the Mausoleum of Hdfiz. Then
the Bdb, having bade farewell to his wife and r his rela-
tions, repaired to the #dfi;iyya, and thence] set out for
I sfall ill.
 Iiii company with A'kA Muhammad Huseyn of Ar-
distibi, who was one of his aisciple's,j ~
This passage, omitted in C., is found in Suppl. Pers. 1071,
0





206
THE NEW HISTORY.
The late HAjf Mfrzi JAiif writes':-- Whell HiaS 811-
preme Holiness was at Miku', the afore-mentioned A'kA
Muhammad Huseyn. was all old man with a white beard,
enfeebled and bowed down. with extreme age. When: I
met him he was proceeding on foot to MAkA, and, iiot-
withstanding his age and debility, such was his extreme
love and enthusiasm that his countenance betrayed lio
sign of distress, weariness, or fatigue, but rather excessive
joy and ecstasy. In the course of our conversation 1
questioned him as to the incidents of the journey to IsfaliAn,
and lie related to me as tollows:-' At one part ot our
road we came to a place notorious as a haunt of robbers,
whereby lione dared to pass save with a large company.
No sooiler had we reached it than we saw a nuinber of
robbers waiting oil the side of the hill. I was overcome
with fear, for I made sure that they would strip us and
perhaps inflict on us some injury. It chanced to be the
time for the noon-day prayer, and His Holiiieass alighted
from his horse and engaged in his devotions, which he
protracted to all unusual length. I was so preoccupied
0
with anxiety that I forgot to replace my socks and garters:)
(which I had renhioved for the performance of lily ablution),
and instead placed them in. my pocket. Wheii His Holi-
ness had again mounted, and we were some cousiderable
distance froiihi the robberas, lie turned his blessed couil-
teiiance towards me and said, "Why have yo'Li not put oil
Yo Lir inittens ? " I all swered that I had lost tlieilgl. " You
have iiot lost then)," said lie, "but through excessive terror
you put theiihi in your pocket, being overcome with fear.
Yet you see that the thieves did not strip you."
1 Suppl. Pers. 1071, f. 88".
2 Snppl. Pers. 1071, f. 8811,1. 9.
3 VItell-piell
I am indebted to my friend 11flazd
Huseyn-Kulf Kh6n, for the explanation of this word.
TRANSFIGURATION OF THE BAB. 207
4
"' So 'on another occasion, it being an extremely
dark night, sleep overtook me on the road. When I awoke,
I missed His Holiness. I urged on my horse for some
considerable distance, but, advance as I might, I could
discover no trace of him. After proceeding some way,
I saw AkA Seyyid KAzim. Tandl the muleteer, who had also
been overcome with asleep. I awoke them and asked them
about His Holiness, but they too knew not what had
become of him. I was much amazed aud disquieted, but,
even as I wondered, I heard the voice of His Holiness over
against me, saying, "AkA Muhammad Hasan, why are





you troubled? Comell" I looked, and saw the form of
His Holiness erect in the a,,addle like the Alif <which is
symbolical> of the Divine Unity, [while a continuous
flow of light hung like a veil round about him and rose
heaven-wards. And this light so encompassed him, form-
ing, as it were, a lialo round about him, that the eye was
dazzled by it, and] a state of disquietude [aihid perturbatioli
was produced. Oil beholding this, AkA Sey id KAziM
I  y
uttered a loud cry and swooned away. The iigiuliteer,
however, observed nothing. Then His Holiness dismounted
and said, "Make some tea." And he took AkA Sevyid
Kizim's bead on his bosom, and fed him with the tea until
lie was somewhat recovered; yet lie was never again the
same as before, and continued thus fey, until, as the-effect
of that vision of glory, lie yielded up his spirit fil IsfaliAii
to Him who is the Lord of Glory. His Supreme Holiness
was present at his funeral, and alone read the prayers over
him."'
This same AkA Muhammad Huseyn [took part] in the
MizalidarAn war [, joining himself to the people of truth,
I Suppl. Pers. 1071, f. 89".
2 C. ) by an obvious error oil the part of the copyist, omits the
words enclosed in brackets, so that its text gives no meaning.





208 THE NEW HISTORY,
and] fell wounded by a bullet oil the field of battle. Being
carried to the royalist eanip and interrogated' as to tile
state of the garrison of the Castle, lie refused to give any
inforiigiatioii. At length they said, < " If you do not tell
US> we will kill you." " How great an honour," answered
he, " and how great a happiness ! " They asked Iiiin in
what way he would be slain. He answered, " In whatever
way is most painful." Then they put the muzzle of a
gun to his right eye and fired. Thus did he attain to
martyrdoin.
Now when His Holiness reached the outskirts of Isfallin,
he sent a message to < MinAchihr KhAn > the Illet'tamadit'd-
D(tivlct saying,' " If you will grant me permission, but not
otherwise, I will tarry for a little while in your govern-
iiient." His Excellency the Jlu'tamadu'd-Dawl(t, who
was a statesman wise in tile affairs of the world, actuated
alike by his own goodness of disposition and the dictates of
wisdom, sent word to the lnia'i)z-Jg-tti?z'a saying, " He who
claims to be the Gate to the ImAni (upon whom be peace) has
come to this country; send servants to wait upon him and
convey an invitation, that perchance lie may come to your
house." The lim'On-Jum'a did so, and His Holiness
alighted at his abode and tarried there forty days, during
which time the Ividni-JumV behaved towards him with
every appearance of friendship and respect. Many persons,
gentle and simple, enjoyed the honour of meeting him, and
propounded to hiiii hard questions, to which they received
full and satisfactory answers easy to -understand, so that
many accepted his doctrine. His Excellency the fflu'ta-
madu'd-Dawla also came to see him, and His Holiness
returned tile visit. The Tm6m-Jzt?n'a had demanded of
I Suppl. Pers. 1071, f. 90a.
2 Cf. Kazern-Beg, i, p. 352 and n. 2; and Traveller's Al'ar-
rative, vol. ii, pp. 263-4.
i
L  I
THE MkB AT ISFAHkN.
209
him, " By what sign do you establish the truth of your
claim?" "By verses," answered he, "for, without pause of
the pen, I can, in the space of three hours, write a thousand
sentences on any subject that I please." "But," objected
the lindin-Jum'a, C(you may have considered the matter
previously." "I will write," replied he, "on any subject
you like." "Then," said the Lnetm-Jtim'a, CC write for me
a commentary oil the s2ira beginning W47-'ap', even as
yoLi wrote for AkA Seyyid YaliyA of DArAb a commentary
oil the 87iratu'1-1Cawthai-'." So His Holiness began to
write, and in three hours wrote a thousand verses.' Then
the 12n(im-Jum'a was convinced that such power was from





God, being beyond the capacity of man.
The late A[Wtanzadu'd-Dawla likewise requested a
treatise on the Special Prophetic Mission of Muhammad,
which, accordingly, the BAb wrote in such fashion as to
excite the wonder of scholars and men of learning.
Now when His Holiness returned the visit Of the Mu'-
tanzadu'd-Dawla, AkA Muhammad Mahdf the son of the
late HAjf Muhammad Ibrahim KalbAsi, and the son of
Mulld 'Ali of Nu'r chanced to be present in his house.
These put forward many hard questions touching the
nature of the Divine Unity and other problems of philo-
sophy, to all of which they immediately received full and
conclusive answers; wherefore they were wont for some
while to speak of His Holiness to their associates in terms
of the highest praise. But when they saw the people
disposed to admit the truth of his claim, then, fearing to
lose their authority, they began to disparage him, tore up
his writings, and strove to stir up opposition. Then the
1 Kur'ān, ciii. See ray Catalogue and Description of 27 Bdb~f
Manuscripts in the J. R. A. S. for 1892, pp. 637-640.
2 Kur'ān, eviii. See my Catalogue &e., pp. 643-8.
N. 14.
14





I
210
ffl-u'ta?2zadit'd-Da?vla sent them a message, saying, ' " Where-
fore do ye now hate, envy, and malign one in whose praises
ye were formerly so loud? It is unreasonable to reject a
doctrine into which you have not enquired. If ye be
indeed seekers after truth in niatter-g~ of religion, then
meet the Bib, either in the Im(un-Jum'a's house, or in
my house, or in the Masjid-i-ShAh, and confer with him.
If lie can satisfactorily establish the validity of his claim,
then you shall acknowledge it, so that the clergy of Persia
shall not oppose it causelessly, nor, without reason, turn
aside from the truth. If, on the other hand, he fail to
make good his claim, then shall you be the first to refute
it, whereby dissensions shall cease and the world be at
rest. But it is a stipulation that I myself be present at
the discusasion and that only one of you speak at a time,
for, if wrangling and clerical wiles be resorted to, the
matter will only be obscured."
The clergy very unwillingly agreed to this proposal,
and arranged that the conference should take place on a
specified day in the Masjid-i-ShAh. Ere the appointed
day, however, one of their principal men sent a message,
to his colleagues to this effect:-" We have committed a
great mistake in consenting to this arrangement, for this
man pretends to be the Proof, and declares his verses to be
evidence of the truth of his claingi, saying, 'Produce the
like of this if ye speak truly". Now there is none among
us who can do this, wherefore, our inability becoming
evident, his claim will be established. Should we then
still withhold our belief, the people will raise a clainour
against us; while if we make confession of faith how shall
we answer to the King and to such as do not believe ?"
THE NEW HISTORY.
I Sitppl. Pers. 1071, f. 91a.
2 Cf. 1~ur'6n, ii, 21.
I
I
f
MIN-6CHIHR KHjN'S DEVOTION. 211
These reasonings seemed to the rest sound and forcible,
and so, when the appointed clay came, they, with their
usual dishonesty, and in violation of their agreement, began
to wrangle and dispute contentiously. When the Bib
perceived this, he charged them with deliberately intending
to suspend the discussion, and proposed that both sides
should conjointly invoke God's curse on whichever of them
was in error. This, however, men afraid of fair argument
naturally declined to do ; and, to be brief, these learned
doctors, instead of enquiring into the matter, addressed to
HiJf MÕrzā Akisf an appeal, wherein the facts of the case





were grossly misrepresented, and the most unseemly charges
were advanced against that Sun of Holiness. To such a
pass did they bring matters that the 2111u'tamadzed-Dawla,
actuated solely by a desire to avert the possible conse-
quences of their malice, transferred the Bib to the royal
Palace of the Sun', continuing to shew him every attention,
and striving in every way to protect and shield him. So
steadfast, indeed, was his devotion that he paid no heed to
HAjf MÕrzā AkAsf's demands for the surrender of the Bib,
to whom he repeatedly made the following proposal. " If,"
said he, " Tyour religion needs the support of the sword
for its advancement, I will assemble more than fifty
thousand men, both horse and foot, of the Shih-sevan and
other tribes devoted to my interests, and will march with
all speed on the capital to make war against the King of
ISIAM, should he persist in rejecting your mission. If, on
the other haDd,J the propagation of your religion is to be
effected by policy, I will accompany you to TeherAn, and
will so explain the nature of your mission and doctrine to
His Majesty that lie shall accept them and bestow on you
one of his daughters in marriage. Your position being
r)
1 Suppl. Pers. 1071, f. 92a. Cf. my Traveller's Xarrative,
Vol. ii, p. 13, n. 2.
14-2





i
212
THE NEW HISTORY.
thus strengthened by an alliance with the Royal Family,
you may safely make public announcement of your claims."
He likewise placed at the BAb's disposal his treasure-chests
and all else that he possessed,, [remarking, " I have no
children, and 'whatsoever the hands of the slave possess
belongs to his master."'I
To these proposals His Holiness replied as follows
"Tho diffusion of God's truth cannot be effected by such
means, but rather by the. figithftilness and constancy of His
servants, who, disregarding alike hopes of gain and fear of
loss, shall support the faith, proclaim God's Word, and,
with eyes averted from all worldly objects, walk in the way
of the Lord, for Him, and in Him. Thus shall these holy
spirits continue to bear witness to the Truth, until the -,in-
cerity of their belief shall be attested by their martyrdom.
'. . . . The Lord is able to cause His religion to prevail and
to defeat the devices of the froward: we await His will and
His good -pleasure, and seel~ help from none other: we
S
carry our lives in our hands Tand stand alte(tJflt-Itly Coll-
fronting our eneinies and awaiting martyrdoiii~. And for
you also the time to quit this low world is nigh at hand. " 2
I A tradition describing the attributes of God's saints is here
quoted from the Lawli-i-Fatima (see my Travellers Narrative, p.
123, n. 1), but the text is so corrupt that I have been compelled
to omit it.
2 Hijf MÕrzā JAnfs history (&ppl. Pers. 107 1, f. 92b-93a)
here inserts an account of the iniraculous transmutation of a
-cover (sar-pftsh-i-kaly(ln) into goldat the B'Vs touch,
metal pipe  a
and adds that the Bib foretold MinAchihr Khin's death 19 days
before it took place to two of his disciples, one of these being
-kk,'t Seyyid Yah ' of Wrib, who was then in Yezd. Then
ya a
follows the author's narrative of his meeting with ikki Seyyid
Yahyi, and the account given by him of his conversion. (See p,
113 supra.)
THE 13.~B IS REMOVED FROM ISFAHAN. 213
A few days after this, even as the BAb had announced,
the .3111'tamadiN-Dawla quitted this transitory abode for
the mansions of eternity.
After this, Mfrz6, Gurgfn Kh6n' the Deputy-governor,
anxious to perform some service pleasing to HAjf MÕrzā
Akdsi~ in return for which the government of Isfalign might
be bestowed on him, and forgetful of the injunctions
of his benefactor, spoke to the BAb as follows:-" The
clergy are bent on opposition and strife. Should I deliver
you into their hands, I should betray the trust reposed in





me by my benefactor, and bring injury on one whom he
held dear. If, on the other hand, I refuse to'surrender
you, they will write to Teherin, Hijf MÕrzā Akisf will
demand you at my hands, and I shall have no choice but
to submit, seeing that I have not strength to resist like the
ff1_u'tamadu'd-Daw1a. So the best thing is that you should
leave this place, and, if such be your wish, withdraw to
KliurdsAn." And in his letter to HAjf MÕrzā Akisf he set
forth what he had done, and strongly emphasized the value
of the service he had rendered in sending the BAb away.
But His Holiness, being well aware of his treachery, said,
" Please God,'thou wilt fail to attain what thou desirest;
as in fact eventually happened.
His Holiness, therefore, left IsfahAn with an escort of
*[seven]* horsemen. When he reached KAshdn-, two be-
lieving brothers [, HAjf Muhammad Isma'11 surnamed Za-
bi'li, and HAjf MÕrzā JAnfJ 2, men widely respected and noted
* JsiXJ *
1 Suppl. Pers. 1071, f. 9WI.
2 C. ornits these words, which enable us (provisionally) to
identify the Zabih previously cited in the account of the siege of
Zanjin (p. 139 supra) with HAji Mimi Isma'fl, concerning whom
see my Traveller's Yarrative, vol. ii, p. 332.





214
THE NEW HISTORY.
for their piety, being infor-ned of his arrival went and saw
the horsemen, and, by means of bribes, obtained permission
for His Holiness [accompanied by five of the escort] to be
 guest at their house. H6jf MirZd JAUf gives in his book
 full description of all the wonderful things which they
witnessed in those tTtwolt days and nights, at the conclu-
sion of which he says, " If I should seek to narrate in detail
all that took place during those tTtwolt days and nights, it
would fill a large volume," TThis is the exact expression
of which lie makes use in his book.1' Since <however>
the object is not to describe wonders and miracles ff it is
,sufficient to mention one incident.
[Mir 'Abdu'l-B6kf the Principal of the Madrasa-i-Shdh,
a scholar of eminence, and a man of remarkable sanctity
and learning, was a believer in the BAb. <HAjf Muhammad
Isma'fl surnamed> Zabili craved permission from His Holi-
ness to acquaint him with his arrival. This was granted,
on condition that he should not be informed who would be
present. "We invited the reverend doctor to supper",
t [three] t
ffhe has ornitted all mention of the events of those two
I I -include in the body of the text the additional particulars
given by L. merely as a matter of COnVeDience-, for all that I-14ji
Mfrzd Jdnf actually says about the BAb's stay at KAshAn (Suppl.
Pers. 1071, f. 96a) is as follows:-.)3 u3 *- ~A i J *
_~,* ,C~ Ac i5
)5j p 5
"And he [i.e. the Bib]
did not again eat food save only in KAshAn. And in Kaish~n he
abode two days and two nights. Wondrous and marvellous signs
were shewn by that Sun of Truth. A full description of these
would form a book by itself." It is the last sentence to which
allusion seems to be made in C.
t
I
t
p
THE MkB AT KISH-kN.
215
< says the narrator> " but told him nothing till the night
when he met His Holiness, who had exchanged his turban
for a lamb-skin hat, and ceded the corner-seat to his com-
Panions, Jeiia'b-,i-'Azgl'?n', ikA Seyyid Huseyn the amanu-
ensis, and Mull.4 Muhammad 'Hu'allim'. In-consequence
of this, Mir 'Abdu'l-B.Aki failed to recognize him, walked
straight to the corner of the room, and seated himself by
the side of Jena'b-i-8heykh-i-'A_tM'. After the customary
greetings had been interchanged, His Holiness turned to-
wards Mir 'Abdu.'1-134~f and said, 'I hear that you believe





in the author of these doctrines, and publicly expound them
in the mosque.' On receiving an answer in the affirmative,
he continued, 'By reason of what sign have you believed
in him?' 'By reason of his verses, I answered the other.
I I too,' replied His Holiness, 'can write verses.' ' By reason
of his commentaries and supplications and homilies,' said
the divine. 'These too I can write.' I By reason of his
exegetic knowledge, then,' said Mir 'Abdu'l-BAlki. - 'You
may ask of me what you please,' said His Holiness, 'and I
will answer you.' The learned doctor was overcome with
amazement, but did not fall down in adoration saying,
'Thou art'the man!' All he said was, 'I know of none
under heaven more learned than myself, and I know not
who amongst those here present wieldas that spiritual power
which has taken from me what I had'.' For since His
Holiness had said, 'He shall not know me', he departed
without having recognized him, notwithstanding all the
hints whereby we, ignoring the fact that this Word had
9 days and nights during which the BAb was in KAshAn, lest
it should result in prolixity. And during those two days
ie. Mulli Sbeykh 'Alf.
milar experience of Mulld Huseyn's, p. 36,
2 Compare a si
suprcit.





216 THE NEW HISTORY. THE BkB AT KHkNLIK. 217
been created an active force, strove to apprize him of the
truth. on his way home, however, the truth suddenly
flashed upon him. He wished to return, but decided not
to do so, because of the lateness of the hour, Next morning
he came as soon as he had left the mosque, but our visitors
had already departed. Then was he very sorry when sorrow
was of no avail. And he was a man of great learning and
ascetic life, thoroughly versed in the doctrines of Sheykh
Ahmad Alisd'f,
C' Now since that Holy Being was, as it runs in the tra-
dition, 'a dark, dreadful, dire calamity',' on the day of his
arrival at KAshdu he had said, 'If one could deliver me
from these guards it were not amiss.' So after the two
days, when lie was about to depart, 7,abi'li said to him, 'It
would be possible to bring you forth from lience - we pray
you therefore to accord us permission,] and you can go
whithersoever you please, and we will attend and accom-
pany you wherever it be; for we will thankfully and gladly
giv - e up our lives, our wealth, our wives, and our children
for your sake.' But he answered, 'We need the help and
support of none but God, and His will only do we re-
gard. ' " ~
After leaving KAsliAn, the BAb came to KhAnlik', a
village distant about Tfive or~ six parasangs frorn TeherAn
which had belonged to the, late 310amadu'd-Dawla.
Thence the escort sent word of their arrival to HAJI Mfrzd
AkAsf. Now the late king Muhammad ShAh was desirous
and nights they repeatedly entreated His Holiness to flee,
saying, ' It is now possible,J
2 A quotation from the Jfasnavi is here omitted.
3 Sitppl. Pers. 1071, f. 96". KhAnlik is there described as
((near KinAr-i-gird".
I
of an interview with His Holiness, but the-114ji, influenced
by certain absurd fancies (for he regarded the BAb 'as ~a
magicianj skilled in gaining sway over men's hearts), and
actuated by considerations of self-interest, would not suffer
it. For he feared that in a single interview the BAb might
bewitch the King, or that his followers might determine on
revolt and raise an insurrection. He therefore appointed
twelve horsemen to conduct him to *TAzarbaij4nJ*. But
while he was still at KhAnlik many persons of note visited
him. Amongst these were His Holiness BEiik (may the
lives of all beside him be his sacrifice 1), RizA KhAn the, son
of Muhammad KhAn the Turcoman, and many others.
A full account of all that took place on this occasion would
form a narrative of surpassing strangeness, but would tran-
scend the comprehension of common folk, besides involving
undue prolixity'.
The late HAjf Mirzi JAnf writes :-" The chief of the





twelve horsemen appointed to conduct His Holiness - to
MAkfi was Muhammad Beg Cha'Pairchi4a'sht", whom I sub-
sequently met on his return from that journey. He was I a
man of kindly nature and amiable character, and so sincere
and devoted a believer that whenever the name of His
Holiness was mentioned he would incontinently burst into
tears, saying,
I scarcelv reckon as life the days when to me thou wert all
unkno~vn,
But by faithful service for what remains I may still for the
past atone.'
*[M,iku']*
1 L. here inserts some verses from Jlfasnavi.
2 Chief postman or courier. This narrative occurs on f. 966
et seq. of Suppl. Pers. 1071, and corresponds almost word for
word with that here given.





218
THE NEW HISTORY.
In the course of conversation I enquired concerning what
passed during the journey, whereupon he related as follows.
" ' When I received orders to escort His Holiness to
Tabriz under guard of a company of horsemen, 1 was very
reluctant to undertake the duty, for, though I had not as
yet recognized the truth of his claim, I had heard that he
was a Seyyid of distinguished merit. I therefore feigned
illness for two or three days, hoping that perhaps this duty
-in truth a blessing, though in appearance an affliction-
might be delegated to another. For I little know how
signal a blessing the Divine Bounty had apportioned to one
so unworthy as myself. My excuses, however, did not
meet with acceptance, and 1, much against my will, was
compelled to set out.
["' The horsemen placed at my disposal had already
gone to take charge of His Holiness the night before
I joined them. And since such men, inured to deeds of
violence, are accustomed, -especially at the outset, to adopt
a harsh manner, calculated, in their opinion, to inspire
respect, they acted on this occasion with undue rigour.
One of them locked the door of the room occupied by His
Holiness on the outside, lest perchance that Central Point
of the universal circle might effect his escape. In the
morning he saw the door which he had locked standing
open, and the BAb tranquilly performing his ablutious by
the brink of the stream, whereupon he cried out angrily
and discourteously, "By what means did you open the
door which I locked ? " " I did but lay my hand upon it,"
answered the BAb, " and it opened." The other then
began to behave witl) violence, when all of a sudden he was
attacked with so sharp a pain at the heart that even he
was admonished, and rolled in the dust demanding pardon.
Thereupon His Holiness consented to overlook his fault,
and he was at once restored to health. On iigiy arrival
THE BIB AT ZANJIN.
219
I heard of this event, andj' according to the measure of my
insight, I perceived the signs of the glory and greatness of
His Holiness, towards whom I continued to act deferentially
until the day when we reached the Estonel caravansaray
fEatjt ZanjAn, where we halted. For our instructions
were to avoid bringing His Holiness into any city; theTe-
fore did we halt at that caravansaray outside the town.
We were wearied after a long day's march, and I had
many matters to attend to, when a messenger came from
the governor of ZanjAn [bringing word that he wished to
see the BAb. I was so busy that I omitted to convey
this message, and. it subsequently passed from my mind.
11" As soon as the people of Zanj An became aware of the





Bib's arrival]" they began to approach in companies, with
a reverence and respect which baffle description, to wait
upon His Holiness. [His Reverence Mulli Muhammad
'Ali had addressed to him a letter, and concealed it inside
a cucumber, which he placed in a basket full of cucumbers.
His messeDger brought the cucumbers to deliver them ~ to
His Holiness. The guards would have taken them from
him, but he refused to give them up. While they were
disputing, His Holiness cried out from his cell, " Give up
the basket of cucumbers, and come hither." g So the mes-
senger surrendered the basket to the guards and was ad-
mitted to the presence of His Holiness, who had written
an answer as follows :-" It is not expedient. This very
night a horseman will come to take you to Teher&n. Such
is your affair."]'.
t[outside the town oflt
I C. omits this passage, which, however, occurs in HAjf Mfrzi
JAnf (Suppl. Pers. 1071, f. 96b).
2 C., by an evident slip, omits these words.
3 This incidentl omitted in C., has been already related some-





220 THE NEW HISTORY.
"' Now the guards, with a view to their own profit,
were contesting the entrance of' all who approached, and
these <to secure admission> were giving ungrudgingly
such sunis of money, copper, silver, and thmins, as they
had u on them. And when the press and throng of people
p  n
had waxed very great, the governor, being alarmed, sent a
U  '7'
inessa- e to ine, saying, " You must proceed on your journey
0
at once, for if you remain here to-night a general rising
will assuredly take place." Hard upon this messenger came
another, urging us to mount with all speed. I was therefore
obliged to inform His Holiness that, although neither he
nor the guards were yet rested from the fatigues of the
road, there was no choice but to go oil. He arose, saying,
" 0 God, be Thon witness of ]low they are dealing with the
descendant of Thy Prophet! " Then lie repeated the mes-
sage which 1 had forgotten [to give Jilin], saying, " This,
notwithstandino- the niessaae which lie sent oil in first
zn 0  y
arrival! What is his present action, and what does it
mean ? 11 Thereat was I exceedingly ashanied and con-
fused, because I had neglected to deliver the message ; and
thenceforth, perceiving that lie knew all iiien's thoughts
and could read their minds, 1 continually exercised the
most unremitting vigilance lest I should be guilty of any
overt or covert disrespect towards him.
"' So we mounted and rode oil till we came to a ~brickj
caravansaray distant two parasangs from the city. Thence
we proceeded to MflAn, where iigiany of the inhabitants
came to see His Holiness, and were filled with wonder at
the majesty and dignity of that Lord of mankind. [In the
morning, as we were setting out frorn Mfl6n, -in old woman
brought a scald-headed child, whose head was so covered
what more clearly and circumstantially in connection with the
siege of Zanjin. See pp. 137--8 suy)ra,
THE B-kB HEALS A CHILD AT Mfl,,~N. 221
with aseabs that it was white down to the neck, and entreated
His Holiness to heal him. The guards would have for-
bidden her, but His Holiness prevented them, and called
the child to him. Then he drew a handkerchief over its
head and repeated certain words ; which he had no sooner
done than the child was healed.] And in that place about
two hundred persons believed and underwent a true and
sincere conversion. In short [our object in entering into so
prolonged and detailed all account was to narrate how, on
leaving Mildii, while we were oil the road His Holiness
suddenly urged his horse into so swift a gallop that all the
horsemen composing the escort were filled with amazement,





seeing that his steed was the leanest of all. We galloped after
him as hard as we could, but were unable to come up with
him, though the horsemen were filled with apprehension lest
lie should effect his escape. Presently he reined in his
horse of his own accord, and, so soon as we came up to him,
said with a smile, " Were I desirous of escaping, you could
not prevent me." And indeed it was even as lie said; had
he desired in the least degree to escape, none could have
prevented him, and] under all circumstances he shewed
himself endoWed with more than human strength. For ex-
ample, we were all practised horsemen inured to travel,
yet, by reason of the cold and our weariness, we were at
times hardly able to keep our saddles, while he, on the
other hand, during all this period shewed no sign of faint-
ness or weariness, but, from the time when lie mounted till
he alighted at the end of the stage, would not so much as
cliallgO his posture or shift his seat. s
" ' The instructions which I had received were to convey
His Holiness to Tabrfz, whence Prince Bahman Mfrz6 was
to send him to Aldkii. Now I hoped that the Prince would
keep him at Tabrfz, and that, should he decide to send him
to M6ku', I inight be permitted to attend him thither.





222 THE NEW HISTORY.
I made known this inward desire to His Holiness, who
replied, " I do not wish that you should accompany me
beyond Tabriz. I did desire inwardly that you should
come from the capital to Tabriz, but from thence to MAU
I desire it not, for it will be a journey of wrong, and I like
not that you should enter into the company of the wrong-
doers. 1" Then he continued, "I On our arrival within one
stage of Tabriz Tdo thou go on before us and explain the
matter to the Prince, for if he can keep me in Tabriz it is
better, while, if he will send me to MAU, God will take
vengeance on him." Now when we were come within one
stage of Tabrfz~' I had a severe attack of fever, and while
I was thus prostrate His Holiness summoned me and said,
"Go on to Tabriz. " I replied, "I cannot move while the
fever in me runs so high." His Holiness, who was drinking
tea, handed me his cup, saying, "Drink this." No sooner
had I drunk it than I was restored to health. So I went
that very night to Tabriz, and laid the whole matter before
Prince Bahman MÕrzā, who replied, " It has nothing to do
with me; you must act according to the orders which you
received in the capital." I therefore turned back to meet
His Holiness with a heart exceeding sorrowful, and told
him all that had happened. He heaved a deep sigh and
said, " I acquiesce in God's decree, and submit to His com-
mand."
"' I brought His Holiness to my own house, situated
outside the town, and there he tarried for some days. On
the day fixed for his removal to MAkfi the horsemen ap-
pointed to attend him thither came to him, saying, " Come,
mount! " He answered, " Let Muhammad Beg go once
again to the Prince and complete the proof to him, telling
leuton.
I L. omits, probably by a mere slip resulting from homceote-
THE Bill REMOVED FROM TABRfZ TO XiKi~. 223
him that I do not wish to go to MAk-6, Eand bidding him fear
God and not persist in this determinationl.  " I accord-
ingly went as he bade me, and represented the state of the
case, but the Prince again refused to incur any responsibility,
and I returned so grieved at heart that on reaching home
I was once more prostrated with fever. The horsemen
continuing to press for an immediate departure, His Holi-
ness came into my private apartment to bid me farewell,
and then mounted. I wept much at his departure, and was
ill for two months.
" ' After this I went to M.Aku' for the express purpose of
visiting His Holiness. On entering his presence I fell at
his feet to ask for pardon, for I had seen how both Ashraf
KhAn the -Governor of Zanj An and Prince Bahman MÕrzā,
because they had been guilty of some slight disrespect
< towards him >, had in a little time been visited with





severe punishment. Therefore was I much troubled, and
entreated His- Holiness, saying, " If I have inadvertently
been guilty of any shortcoming in my service, or committed
any fault by reason of which I merit reprobation and chas-
tisement, forgive me!" He replied, "Muhammad ShAh
and his minister' have dealt with me thus unjustly, yet
have I not cursed them. I desire not evil for mine enemies,
much less for my friends."
" 'He then questioned me concerning Ashraf KhAn the
Governor of Zanjin, and I related to him in detail the
indignities to which he had been subjected by the people
of ZanjAn. In brief, the history of these is as follows.
Ashraf KhAn had conceived a passion for a certain woman
of ZanjAn, and sent men to carry her to a place which he
 [and let him press his suit urgently, and threaten him
with God's vengeance]. 
ie. HAjf Ilfrz6 AkAsi.





i
224 THE NEW HISTORY.
had appointed. Her husband, being apprized of this, in-
foriihied his relations and friends, who assembled in full
force, attacked Ashraf KhAn's house, and carried off as
plunder the furniture and ornaments. Ashraf Khdn him-
self, who was fair of skin and smooth of cheek, they en-
treated most foully, even ngiakidg use of sticks;' then they
blackened his face, put a paper cap on his head, mounted
him on a bare-backed ass, and thus ignominiously expelled
hiiihi from the city. When His Holiness had heard this, he
said, " 1 (lid not wish that it should be thus, or that he
should be so grievously shanied." Then I related to him
the punishment which had overtaken Bahman MÕrzā, and
his disgrace, whereon lie remarked, " The True Avenger will
sooner or later, as His wisdom determines, take vengeance
on such as contemn the Truth and slight or injure God's
servants." ' "
MÕrzā 'Abdu'l-Wahhdb related as follows:-" During
the journey to Aizarbaijdnl, together with Mulld Mu-
hammad 'Jht'allim', and Akd Seyyid Hasan, the brother
of AkA Seyyid Huseyn the amanuensis, accompanied His
Holiness with circumspection, following him, according to
his instructions, at a distance of some two tlioua,~and paces.
[And when we reached our halting-place, we used to take
up our quarters near to his, but elsewhere.] But AkA
Seyyid Huseyn and Akd- Seyyid Murtazi with the twelve 2
1 This passage, which differs somewhat in the two texts, I have
slightly modified in my translation. The text of L., which is the
more explicit, runs as follows :-'ICk(ob safid-anddign va sd&-
rukhsdr bfid, ba'd az lizodit kardan bd islidn, bi-'aldva ekkbi ham
bi-qnak'ad-aA firri kardand " . . . &c. Hijf Mfrzi JAnf's version,
substantially identical with that here given, occurs on ft.
1006-10111 of Suppl. I'ae2-s. 1071.
1 C. has the absurd and obviously erroneous reading 11 twelve
thousand".
THE B.~B'S JOURNEY TO MkKU". 225
mounted guards always rode by him. And we, on reaching
the end of our day's journey, used always to contrive some
fresh excuse or pretext for approaching hii-D, so that Mu-
a Z_ Z
hammad Beg the Cka'P,rch'bdsh' and the other horsemen
composing the escort might not notice it or perceive that
we were the devoted followers of His Holiness. When we'
were within two or three stages of Tabriz, however, Mu-
hammad Beg, who had charge of the escort, discovered by
divers indications, both overt and covert, our deep de-
votion to the Master. One day, therefore, in the course of
conversation he observed, 'During this journey 1 have come
to regard myself as worse than Shinir and Yazfd.' 'Why,'
I asked, 'do you think thus, and *~in what connection do





you say it?~*' 'Because,' said lie, 'they have commis-
sioned me to do their work, and because I have witnessed
on the part of this holy man things so passing strange that
they cannot be uttered or heard.' ['What new tliiDg have
you seen,' I demanded, 'to cause you such astonish m-ent V
He replied, 'Amongst other things which I have witnessed
during these days was this. When we set out from the
capital he entrusted to my keeping a box of gezl, which I
consigned to the care of one of my men. Every morning
he asks for it, and gives a piece to each of the escort, and
to his own companions, and to my servants, in addition to
which he generally bestows a piece on each of you. i And
throughout the whole journey that same box has been in
my keeping 1"'
[AkA MÕrzā Muhammad 'Ali the martyr, who consum-
mated his martyrdom in the presence of His Holiness at
Tabriz, related as follows :-" When His Holiness reached
*[why do you say what you should not. say?]*
A sweetmeat made from the manna yielded by the tamarisk.
The best quality is manufactured at IsfahAn.
N. H.
15





i
226 THE NEW HISTORY.
Tabriz he took up his abode in the house of Muhammad
Beg, whose next-door neighbour had a garden adjoining
his dwelling. One day His Holiness desired to take his
afternoon tea in this garden., When, in accordance with
the permission readily granted to him by the proprietor,
he had gone thither, one Mash-hadf 'Ali by name entered
the garden in a state of great trouble, saying, 'Three of my
family are sick, and I despair of the lives of two of them,
since there is no hope of their being restored to health;
but the third, whose recovery appears possible, I pray you
to heal.' 'Be of good cheer,' answered His Holiness, 'all
three will get well.' After a while the man departed, but
next morniDg he came to me, saying, 'On arriving at my
house I beheld all three sitting up in perfect health, as
though they had never been ill.' This man became a
sincere believer, :ii-id was converted, and set himself to
perform. humble and devoted service. So likewise others
who heard and understood were amazed at the -might and
spiritual virtues of His Holiness."
[In short, we wish to make it clear that though in ap-
pearance His Holiness was compelled to go to Tabriz and
M&kft, in reality he only did so of his own free will for the
,accomplishment of God's plan and purpose, being fully able
to effect his escape had he so pleased. We have already
mentioned' how on the way he- put his horse into a gallop,
how the horsemen of the escort pursued him, how not one
of them could come near him, and how he could without
difficulty have got away had he desired. Again, when, as
we have described', he arrived at KhAnlik, RizA Kh4n and
MirzA KurbAn-'Alf, both men of unrivalled courage, each of
whom was equal to a hundred horsemen, waited upon him
with several brave and skilful mounted men, saying, "We
I See p. 221 supra.
2 See pp. 96 and E16-7 s?Tra.
ESCAPE POSSIBLE TO THE BAB. 227
will convey you to whatever place you please, as you may
command." But he refused their offer, saying, " The
mountain of Azarbaij.4n, too, has its claims." So likewise
on the road five of his most trusty followers, whose names
have been mentioned, bore him company; and it is evident
that five such persons are equal to a hundred others, and
could, at the merest hint from His Holiness, have so utterly
annihilated and destroyed those twelve guards that no
trace of them should be seen and no tidings heard in the
world.] So, too, had he made the least sign to the believers
of ZanjAn, MflAn, and other places, they would not have
given the guards time, even to draw breath; for, as we
have mentioned, three hundred and sixty of them held
their own for nine months against thirty thousand regular





soldiers and nineteen guns, continually inflicting defeat
and coming off -victorious.
[But apart from all this, what need of outward means
has one endowed with inward power and spiritual virtue
so perfect that, as has been mentioned', a door bolted
and locked could not prevent his entrance or exit, but
opened and shut at his slightest command ? Such an one
is able to do what he wills, for his will is identified with
God's will, and, in all essential respects, he mirrors the
Divine Essence, and shews forth the Names and Attributes.
When you look at his outward appearance he is "a man
lgike unto you'," but when you regard him truly he is
< one of whom it may be said > " I have times with God
wherein neither angel of the Presence nor~ prophet of
plenary authority can approach me,"'. . . But better than
all the proofs which we have mentioned is the fact that]
I See p. 218 supra.
2 Kura'n, xxiii, 34, 36.
3 A well known traditional saying of Muhammad. Three
couplets from the Masnavi which follow here are omitted.
15-2





I
228 THE NEW HISTORY.
the very horsemen who were his guards actually beheld in
him during the course of the journey Proofs of so wonderful
4-1, + ncf nf thpIll sincerelv believed in him, and,
a powel It III
like Muliaminad Beg their chief, shewed him every service
which was in their power. They even declared that they
would readily riask their lives to convey him to any part of
the world which he might choose, but lie refused their
offer, saying, " Your readiness is in itself ail accepted
offering." And now not only those horsemen, but many of
their children and grandchildren, are so clad in the raiment
of faith that not eveigi the hope of sovereignty could tempt
them to lay it aside. This is the meaning of " the humblest
of you shall be the most exalted, and the most exalted shall
be brought low."
For men are divisible into three classes. The first
includes kings, courtiers, governors, and their retainers, all
of whom the clergy regard as men of violence, and call
tyrants. These have no thought save for maintaining and
extending their sway, and are engrossed in love of power
and pleasant living; neither do they greatly heed the ordi-
nances of religion. For men of this class to believe and to
disregard all worldly ties-wealth and life, child and wife-
is a wonderful thing. If one should carefully CODSider the
circumstances of the heroic *[deaths]* of HAjf SuleymAli
1-~'-Ii,An t [and Rizi KhAii, both of whom were nobles] t of
high position, he will easily perceive that thus readily to
abandon all that men do most prize, and eagerly to court
a martyr's death, is a thing transcending human capacity.
And it is evident that had not their eyes clearly beheld
the object of their search, they would not thus readily have
laid down their live i. When they arrested Suleyinin KhAn,
and strove, in consideration of his faithful service and
a noblel t
TdeatU t Twho was
-MARTYRDOM OF SULEYMkN KIIkN. 229
loyalty, to induce him by promises of rewards from the
King to abandon the creed which he had adopted, he would
not consent, but answered firmly, "His Majesty the King
has a right to demand from his servants fidelity, loyalty,
and uprightness; but he is not entitled to meddle with
their religious convictions." In consequence of this bold-
negs of speech it was ordered that his body should be
pierced with wounds, and that into each of these wounds a
lighted candle should be inserted as ail example to others.
[Another victim' was similarly treated. In this state,
with minstrels and drummers going in advanceJ they led
him through the bazaars, and he, meanwhile, with smiling
countenance, kept repeating this verse-





Happy he whom love's intoxication
So hath overcome that scarce he knows
Whether at the feet of the Beloved
It be head or turban which he throwsl2l'
Whenever one of the candles fell from his body, he would
with his own hand [pick it upJ light it from the others
T, and replace itJ. The executioners, seeing in him such
exaltation and rapture, said, " If thou art so eager for
martyrdom, why dost thou not dance ?" Thereat lie began
to leap, and to sing, in verses appropriate to his con-
dition,-
An ear no longer dulled with ignorance
And self subdued entitle one to dance.
Fools dance and caper in the market-place;
I Mulli Fatliu'lla'h of Kum, one of the three Bibfs who
made the attengipt on the ShAh's life.
2 See the account of the "Seven Martyrs" given a little
further on, where this verse is, with much greater probability,
placed in the mouth of Mfrzi Kurbin-'Alf the dervish. For an
account of Suleymin XhAn's martyrdom, see my Travellers
Yarrative, Vol. ii, pp. 332-334, where the verses recited by him
at his execution are given.





230 THE NEW HISTORY.
Men dance the while their life-blood flows apace.
When self is slain they clap their hands in glee,
And dance, because from evil they are free."
[In such fashion did they lead these two forth through the
gate of ShAh 'Abdu'l-'Azfm.] When they were preparing
to saw that brave man asunder, he stretched out his feet
without fear or hesitation, while lie recited these verses :-
I hold this body as of little worth;
A brave man's spirit scorns its house of earth.
]Dagger and sword like fragrant basil seem,
Or flowers to deck death's banquet with their gleam'."
Is it possible that, such heroism and self-devotion, such
readiness to forsake the world and all that is therein,
should be vain and causeless ? Rather what better proof
could be adduced for the reality of the cause ? And more-
over this man was by birth and training one of those whom
the clergy and common folk are wont to call "tyrants
and "men of violence" I
The second class consists of divines, doctorag, philoso-
phers, scholars, and the like. Of these such as were wise
and earnest in the search after truth, and possessed true
religious feeling, sought without prejudice to distinguish
the true from the false. To these, agreeably to the pro-
mise " Fear God, and God will teach you'," the Lord
opened the gates of Eternal Wisdom and made known the
I These two couplets are from the Jfasnavi, and will be found
on P. 101 of 'AIA'ud-Dawla's TeherAn edition, 11. 26 and 27. C.
adds two more, which appear to be improvised for the occasion.
These are as follows:-
2 Kur'ān, ii, 282.
ENUMERATION OF EMINENT BELIEVERS. 231
truth ; for " Knowledge is a light which God putteth into
the heart of whomsoever He pleaseth." gand when the Sun
of Wisdom dawned within them, and Divine Ideals became
mirrored in their souls, they ascended from the abyss of
doubt, and, with the wings of renunciation, soared aloft to
the heights of certainty, even as it is written, " 0 peaceful
soul! -Return unto thy Lord well pleased and well pleas-
ing . So they aspired to trample under foot all worldly
considerations, and to proclaim without fear or reserve the
manifestation of God's truth. And inasmuch as they re-
garded their earthly frames but as a barrier withholding
them from union with the object of their hopes and long-
ings, they were eager to divest themselves of the cloak of
corporeal form, and continued to press on towards martyr-
dom, until at length they obtained that which they sought.
For " Whosoever strenuously seeketh aught assuredly
findeth it." Of this class more than four hundred ac-
cepted the New Dispensation, and attained the lofty rank
of martyrdom. Amongst these were:-Mulli* Huseyn of





Bushraweyh, and AkA Seyyid YahyA of DArlb' (both
divines of uncontested eminence); Mulli Muhammad 'Alf
of ZanjAn [whoin men used to call 'the Proof of Zslam';
MullA Muhammad 'Alf of MAzandarin, on whom the title
of Jenrtb-i-Kuddiis was conferred]; MullA 'Alf of Bistim;
Mulli Sa'fd of BArfuru'sh; MullA Ni'matu'llAh of Mizan-
darAn; [Mulli `Abdu'l-KhAlik of Yezd, one of the dis-
*[Muhammad]*
I Kur'ān, lxxxix, 28, 29.
2 L. adds, It commonly known as Kashfz (the expounder)", but
this is an error, the title in question belonging to Seyyid Ya~yA's
father Seyyid Jalfar. See my Travelle?s Narrative, vol. ii, pp.
7, 8, 183, and 254; and p. Ill supra.





232 THE NEW HISTORY.
ciples of Sheykh Ahinad, and a most illustrious theologian;]
MullA Ylisuf of Ardabil; Mulld Mahdf of KhAy; AkA
Seyyid HUseyn of Turshiz; MullA Miihaihihimad of Ma-
liallit'; Multi Mahdf of Kan', Mulld BAkir *[his brother]*;
Sheykh Abu TurAb of Ashtah6rd [, who was unique in his
time]; JHAjQ Mulli 'Abdu'l-Biki of KAslidn , [A'kA MirzA
'Abdii'l-BAkf, Head of the College]; MullA Jafar of K6shAn;
Mulla Muliaininad Sidik of KhurAsAn'; TMullA 'Alf of
Burkin ;1' MullA YAsuf 'Alf of Khfiy; t [Mf rzi Muliammad
Bikir]t of KhurisAn; HAjf Mulli Isi-na'il of Kuni; MÕrzā
Kurbin-'Alf [the philosopher]'; Mfrzi Muliamniad Huseyn
[the philosopher]' of KirinAn; Mfrz,,'t Muliaiiiiigiad 'Alf Nehrl'
of IsfaliAn; Mulli MulPaminad Tal~-f of IsfahAn; Mulli Jalfl
of Ur~nniyya; A'ki Seyy1d Alimad of Seinnin; 1,~ki Soy-
yid Huseyn of Tabrfz]; Mulli Sa'id of Zirili-KinAr; MÕrzā
Mullaminad BAkir of Herit; the Sheykli ~Ahmad~ of
Ma'nlu'ra; Mirzi Alimad of Azghand; TMÕrzā Muliammad
73
Bikir of Kin in KhurisJuil; Mulli Al.~i of Herit; IIAjf
MÕrzā Hasan Rizavl'; MÕrzā Miihaiigimad of Juveyn ; MÕrzā
'Abdu'l-BAkf of GfUn; [MirzA 'Abdu'l-WahliAb of Kliu-
rAsinJ HAjf [MÕrzā] 'Abdu'l-Mijfd of Nfshipu'r; [HAjf
Mirzi JAW of K~ta~Iiin and his brother ZaUhl Multi
*Tof KanI
t THis Reverence Mulli -NInly-tininad SAdik~ t
Both MSS. have
2 C. j-~-; L. s
3 C. here inserts the name of Mulli 'Abdu'l-KIi-Mik of Yezd.
4 Kurratu'l-'Ayn's uncle. See my Traveller's Narrative, vol.
ii, pp. 197, 310.
5 " ~ .
1, The title j~ or j~ is added after Zabfh, but as I am un-
certain as to the true readiiia I omit it.
0
i
OBSTINACY OF UNBELIEVERS. 1 233
Alimad of HisAr ; Mulli 'Abdu'llih of MahallAt';' JMulIA
Muhammad of Mal alhit'; MUIIA Muhammad 'Alf the son
of MullA Ahmad of Mahallit'j; MullA Hasan of MaliallAt'
Tthe son of MullA Muliammad RizAJ; MullA Hasan Tthe
son of Mulli Muharnmadj; Jen6b-i-8heyk1i-i-'A