Preface Acknowledgements 1 Wisdom: Sent Home from School 2 Devotion: Grandfather’s House 3 Fairness: Merchant of BĂşshihr 4 Humility: The Silver Cup 5 Kindness: Marriage 6 Awe: Rays of Light 7 Confidence: Finding the Promised One 8 Faithfulness: Letters of the Living 9 Forgiveness: Saved at Sea 10 Steadfastness: Stormy Seas 11 Certitude: Stolen Writings 12 Perseverance: Mecca 13 Obedience: The Arrest of the BĂĄb 14 Honesty: Words of Truth 15 Grace: VahĂd 16 Mercy: The Plague 17 Truth: The Prison Warden 18 Courage: Wild Horse 19 Sacrifice: Martyrdom of the BĂĄb Bibliography References
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O God! O God! Thou seest my weakness, lowliness and humility before Thy creatures; nevertheless, I have trusted in Thee and have arisen in the promotion of Thy teachings among Thy strong servants, relying on Thy power and might . . . Verily, Thou art the Clement, the Powerful, the Mighty, and the Most Merciful of the merciful.11 • Humility exalteth man to the heaven of glory and power, whilst pride abaseth him to the depths of wretchedness and degradation.12
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When the BĂĄb was 21 years old He decided to leave BĂşshihr and go to Iraq to visit the holy shrines. The grandson of the Prophet Muhammad was buried in KarbilĂĄ and many people travelled there to pray at his shrine. The BĂĄb visited the holy shrines in the spring of 1841. A man named Siyyid KĂĄzim was also in KarbilĂĄ at the same time as the BĂĄb. Siyyid KĂĄzim was a great teacher of Islam. The Islamic Traditions stated that another Manifestation of God would be coming called the Promised One. Siyyid KĂĄzim travelled around telling people that it was now time for the Promised One to arrive. One day Shaykh Hasan, a student of Siyyid KĂĄzim, arrived at Siyyid KĂĄzim’s home. ‘A highly esteemed and distinguished Person’, Siyyid KĂĄzim said, ‘has arrived. I feel it is incumbent upon us both to visit Him.’ The sun was just beginning to rise when they both arrived at the house where the BĂĄb was staying. In the doorway the BĂĄb stood ready to receive them as if He had known they were coming. Siyyid KĂĄzim knew the BĂĄb was the Promised One mentioned in the Traditions but did not tell Shaykh Hasan, as he knew it was not the right time. ‘He wore a green turban,’ Shaykh Hasan said to a friend later, ‘and His countenance revealed an expression of humility and kindliness which I can never describe.’ The BĂĄb extended His arms towards Siyyid KĂĄzim and lovingly embraced him. The BĂĄb led the men to the upper floor of the house and entered a chamber decorated with flowers and scented with lovely perfume. He asked them to be seated. ‘We knew not, however, what seats we actually occupied, so overpowering was the sense of delight which seized us,’ Shaykh Hasan recounted later. The BĂĄb filled a silver cup with a beverage. Shaykh Hasan knew Muhammad had forbidden His followers to drink or eat from anything silver. ‘A drink of pure beverage shall their Lord give them,’ the BĂĄb spoke the words from the Qur’ån as He handed the cup to Siyyid KĂĄzim. Siyyid KĂĄzim drank from the silver cup without hesitation. Shaykh Hasan was also given a cupful of the beverage. Later Siyyid KĂĄzim said he was filled with a feeling of sacred joy, a feeling which he could not hide. Shortly afterwards, the BĂĄb got up from His seat, accompanied his visitors to the door of the house and said goodbye.13
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O Thou kind Lord! O Thou Who art generous and merciful! We are the servants of Thy threshold and are gathered beneath the sheltering shadow of Thy divine unity. The sun of Thy mercy is shining upon all, and the clouds of Thy bounty shower upon all. Thy gifts encompass all, Thy loving providence sustains all, Thy protection overshadows all, and the glances of Thy favour are cast upon all. O Lord! Grant Thine infinite bestowals, and let the light of Thy guidance shine. Illumine the eyes, gladden the hearts with abiding joy. Confer a new spirit upon all people and bestow upon them eternal life . . . Thou art the Giver, the Merciful, the Omnipotent.14 • There are imperfections in every human being, and you will always become unhappy if you look toward the people themselves. But if you look toward God, you will love them and be kind to them, for the world of God is the world of perfection and complete mercy. Therefore, do not look at the shortcomings of anybody; see with the sight of forgiveness. The imperfect eye beholds imperfections. The eye that covers faults looks toward the Creator of souls . . . You must love and be kind to everybody . . .15
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0DUULDJH The Báb loved being in Karbilá and visiting the shrines. He wanted to stay longer but His mother missed Him greatly and wanted Him to come home to Shiraz. She sent the Báb’s uncle to Karbilá to ask Him to come home. Finally, after a lot of persuading, the Báb agreed to return to Shiraz. After a few months of living in Shiraz the Báb said He wanted to return to the shrines. His mother was alarmed and upset by her son’s decision. She knew she needed to think of a way to keep the Báb in Shiraz, so she arranged for Him to get married! In those days it was customary for parents to arrange for their children to be married. In August 1842, when the Báb was almost 23 years old, He married a woman He had known since He was a child. Her name was Khadíjih Bagum. They grew to love each other very much. ‘His kindness towards me and His care for me were indescribable,’ Khadíjih Bagum recollected later. ‘He and His mother alike showered me with kindness and consideration.’ Not long after the marriage Khadíjih Bagum became pregnant. When the time came for the baby to be born she had a very difficult time giving birth. The Báb’s mother was extremely worried Khadíjih Bagum was going to die and went quickly to tell her son. The Báb had a mirror beside Him and on it He wrote a prayer. He told His mother to hold the mirror in front of His wife. As soon as this was done the baby was born and Khadíjih was no longer in pain. The baby was a boy and they named him Ahmad. Unfortunately, Ahmad did not live long and was buried under a cypress tree in the garden of a nearby tomb. The Báb comforted His wife and encouraged her to try to be patient and accept what God had destined.16
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