Divine Curriculum, Vol 5, Part 2

The Divine Curriculum The Báb

volume 5, part 2

with special assistance by Behrad Majidi

SECOND EDITION December 2022

The Divine Curriculum: The Báb, Volume 5, Part 2

Copyright © 2021 by Edward A. Price.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission except in the case of brief quotations used in critical articles and reviews. For more information or to contact the author, write to Calumet Editions, 6800 France Avenue South, Suite 370, Edina, MN 55435 or send an email to info@calumeteditions.com.

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2

Cover and interior design: Gary Lindberg

ISBN: 978-1-960250-52-0

Selected images taken at the International Bahá’í Archives, included with permission from the Bahá’í World Center, Haifa, Israel.

Photo images from The Gate: Dawn of the Bahá’í Faith, with permission of Spring Green Films.

Chapter Five INTRODUCTION TO PART TWO

Welcome to Part Two of the story of the Báb. This is Volume 5, Part 2 of The Divine Curriculum series.

We’re now going to explore together the second half of the story of the Báb, the Divine Educator Who has been described in the Bahá’í Writings as a “youthful”, “gentle”, and “irresistible” Figure, “matchless in His meekness, imperturbable in His serenity, magnetic in His utterance, unrivaled in the dramatic episodes of His swift and tragic ministry.”1

The Báb’s tumultuous career, as a Divine Educator and Co-Founder of the Bahá’í Faith in 19th Century Persia, gave birth to a Revelation that “in the magnitude of the writings emanating from His pen, and in the diversity of the subjects treated” stand “wholly unparalleled in the annals of any previous religion.”2 He attracted countless followers from diverse strata of society, thus launching a Movement which grew so fast as to frighten and alarm the established religious authorities and the government, and to inspire their vehement and brutal opposition. These same followers, finding themselves intoxicated by the new Revelation from God, when faced with brutal and unrelenting persecution, eagerly sacrificed their lives in order to sustain the infant Faith which they so ardently loved. The happenings which occurred at the end of His life are “regarded in no other light except as the most dramatic, the most tragic event transpiring within the entire range of the first Bahá’í century. Indeed it can be rightly acclaimed as unparalleled in the annals of the lives of all the Founders of the world’s existing religious systems.”3 His was a life “which posterity will recognize as standing at the confluence of two universal prophetic cycles, the Adamic Cycle stretching back as far as the first dawnings of the world’s recorded religious history and the Bahá’í Cycle destined to propel itself across the unborn reaches of time for a period of no less than five thousand centuries.”4 His life has been

acclaimed in the East and in the West by many scholars and historians of His era. To mention but one example, A.L.M. Nicolas, a Christian scholar and government official (1864-1939), writing in French, characterized the Báb’s ministry and His martyrdom as “Un fait etrange, unique dans les annales de l’humanite” (“A strange fact, unique in the annals of humanity”).5 Nicholas also had this to say:

His life is one of the most magnificent examples of courage which it has been the privilege of mankind to behold... He sacrificed himself for humanity, for it he gave his body and his soul, for it he endured privations, insults, torture and martyrdom. He sealed, with his very lifeblood, the covenant of universal brotherhood. Like Jesus he paid with his life for the proclamation of a reign of concord, equity and brotherly love... Fear had no hold upon his soul and, perfectly calm, never looking back, in full possession of all his powers, he walked into the furnace. – A.L.M. Nicolas6

Born in Persia in the 19th century, the Báb is one of two co-Founders of the Bahá’í Faith, the establisher of His own highly significant religious Dispensation, the copious Revealer of the Word of God, the fulfiller of numerous prophecies, Biblical and Islámic, and the primary Heroic Figure at the center of the initially obscure Bábí Movement, which under the guidance of Bahá’u’lláh later became the Bahá’í Faith, which in turn later became a thriving world religion with over five million followers in over 200 countries today.

When I originally wrote this book, the manuscript was not so large as to require being published in two books. But, as I described in Part One, through my exciting collaboration with Behrad Majidi, I was privileged to gain access to scholarly writings on the Bahá’í Faith which have been produced by experts and historians writing exclusively in the Persian language. This bounteous opportunity necessarily caused the book to expand in size so, on the advice of my publisher, The Divine Curriculum: The Báb, Volume 5 is now being published as two books. On the one hand, this is great news, because Volume 5, Parts One and Two, now have so much more to offer the reader. On the other hand, this means you need to buy two books to get the whole story. I’m sorry about that.

In order to avoid redundancy, Part Two assumes the reader has already read Part One.

Briefly, Part One, which is designated Volume 5, Part 1 of the Divine Curriculum series, covered the following:

Chapter Six OPPOSITION BUILDS

THE JOURNEY TO ISFAHÁN

Departing Shíráz

After the cholera epidemic, which had caused so much terror and grief in Shíráz, the Báb was not allowed to return to His own home. He was kept at the home of ‘Abdu’l-Hamíd Khán, the chief constable of Shíráz. During this brief period, He foresaw His impending expulsion from Shíráz and used the time to set His worldly affairs in order.7

The panicked Governor of Shíráz, Husayn Khán, had given the order that the Báb must leave Shíráz.

The Báb was allowed to send His friend and follower, Siyyid Kázim-iZanjání, to go and ask His uncle, Hájí Mírzá Siyyid ‘Alí, to come see Him at the constable’s house.8 This was the very uncle that had raised Him and who had been His most ardent protector.

When He spoke to His uncle, He placed His wife and mother in his loving care. According to the customs of the time, this made the uncle the legal guardian of the two women whom He loved the most. He asked him “to convey to each the expression of His affection and the assurance of God’s unfailing assistance”.9 He told His uncle:

Wherever they may be, God’s all-encompassing love and protection will surround them. I will again meet you amid the mountains of Ádhirbáyján, from whence I will send you forth to obtain the crown of martyrdom. I Myself will follow you, together with one of My loyal disciples, and will join you in the realm of eternity. – Nabíl, reporting on the Báb10

The Báb was allowed to bring two friends and followers, Siyyid Kázimi-Zanjání and Muhammad-Husayn-i-Ardistání, and one attendant with Him

on His journey.11 The group needed three horses for the journey. According to Hamadání, the Báb asked Muhammad-Husayn to go and procure them. He gave him fifty túmáns and said (paraphrased), “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 Háfiz, and bring word to me.”12 Hamadání continues:

Muhammad-Huseyn was somewhat surprised and puzzled at this precise description of the horses, wondering 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 túmáns, and why their signs should be thus specified. In this state of wonder he went to the market-place, and saw a man with three horses exactly such as had been described to him. These he bought and brought to the Mausoleum of Háfiz. – Hamadání13

The Bab was not given much time to prepare. He was not allowed to go home to say good-bye.

The next day, the Báb and His companions left the constable’s home, they mounted their horses and they left Shíráz, never to return.

The Báb never saw His mother again.

The Báb and Khadíjih never saw one another again.

Figure 1 Eugene Flanders, 1840s, drawing of the Mausoleum of Háfiz

En route to Isfahán

The summer of the year 1846 was drawing to a close when the Báb bade a final farewell to His native city and proceeded to Isfahán. We do not have much information concerning the journey from Shíráz to Isfahán itself. But Hamadání has given us two interesting stories about events which occurred en route to Isfahán.

This is from Muhammad-Husayn-i-Ardistání himself. Hamadání reports it thus:

[Note: In the following passage, mention is made of a practice called ablutions. Under Islámic custom, ablutions are a ritual washing of the hands and feet in preparation for daily prayers. This is meant to symbolize self-purification before “meeting God” in prayer. Also note that the Báb is quoted by Hamadání. These may not be the Báb’s exact words.]

One part of our road we came to a place notorious as a haunt of robbers, whereby none dared to pass save with a large company. No sooner had we reached it than we saw a number of robbers waiting on the side of the hill.

I was overcome with fear, [I was] 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 Holiness alighted from his horse and engaged in his devotions, which he protracted to an unusual length.

I was so preoccupied with anxiety that I forgot to replace my socks … (which I had removed for the performance of my ablution), and instead placed them in my pocket.

When His Holiness had again mounted [His horse], and we were some considerable distance from the robbers, he turned his blessed countenance towards me and said, “Why have you not put on your [socks]?”

I answered that I had lost them.

“You have not lost them,” said he, “but through excessive terror you put them in your pocket, being overcome with fear. Yet you see that the thieves did not strip you.” – Muhammad-Husayn-i-Ardistání, cited by Hamadání14

If the first story is somewhat humorous, the second one is quite touching. Again, it is from Muhammad Husayn himself. They were on the road to Isfahán. It was an extremely dark night, and he became very tired, so he stopped to sleep by the side of 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 Áká Seyyid Kázim and the muleteer, who had also been overcome with sleep. I awoke them and asked them about His Holiness, but they too knew not what had become of him.

I was much amazed and disquieted, but, even as I wondered, I heard the voice of His Holiness … saying, “Áká Muhammad [-Husayn], why are you troubled? Come!”

I looked, and saw the form of His Holiness erect in the saddle … while a continuous flow of light hung like a veil round about him and rose heaven-wards. And this light so encompassed him, forming, as it were, a halo round about him, that the eye was dazzled by it, and a state of disquietude … was produced.

On beholding this, Áká Seyyid Kázim uttered a loud cry and swooned away. The muleteer, however, observed nothing.

Then His Holiness dismounted and said, “Make some tea.” And he took Áká Seyyid Kázim’s head on his bosom, and fed him with the tea until he was somewhat recovered; yet he was never again the same as before, and continued thus … until, as the effect of that vision of glory, he yielded up his spirit in Isfahán to Him who is the Lord of Glory. His Supreme Holiness was present at his funeral, and alone read the prayers over him. – Muhammad-Husayn-i-Ardistání, cited by Hamadání15

Mázandarání also noted that Kázim’s journey with the Báb had been utterly overwhelming and transformative. The following is paraphrased from the Persian by Mázandarání.

The Báb, Siyyid Kázim-i-Zanjání, and Muhammad-Husayn-i-Ardistání, all mounted on horses, departed for Isfahán. This was at the end of summer, toward the end of the month of Ramadán of 1262