Footnotes to French ed. of The Dawn Breakers

Date of document: February 22, 1994
This text has not been proofread.
[Footnote 1 on page 250 of "The Dawn-Breakers" text was never translated
from the French into English.]

TRANSLATION OF THE FRENCH FOOT-NOTES OF THE DAWN-BREAKERS
by Emily McBride &Perigord
First Published 1939
Fourth Printing 1973
Printed in the United States of America

NOTE
The translator of these Notes has not striven primarily
for an interpretation of marked literary excellence. Her
first concern has, at all times, been accuracy. When
necessary she has chosen to sacrifice elegance of style to
fidelity to the original text. This may explain a few
instances of apparently awkward phrasing where the
French construction is felt in the English translation.


+P1
CHAPTER I

Page 1, Note 3
Siyyid &Kazim, in his book entitled "&Dalilu'l-Mutahayyirin," writes as
follows:
"Our master, one night, saw the &Imam &Hasan; upon him may the
blessing of God rest! His Holiness put in his mouth his blessed tongue.
From the adorable saliva of His Holiness he drew forth the sciences and the
assistance of God. To the taste it was sweeter even than honey, more
perfumed than the musk. It was also quite warm. When he came to
himself and wakened from his dream, he inwardly radiated the light of
divine contemplation; his soul overflowed with the blessings of God and
became entirely severed from everything save God.
"His faith, his trust in God and his resignation to the Will of the Most
High grew apace. Because of a great love and an ardent desire which arose
in his heart, he forgot to eat or to clothe himself except barely enough to
sustain life." (A. L. M. Nicolas' "Essai sur le &Shaykhisme," I, p. 6.)


Page 4, Note 2
"In the country of &Fars, there is a Mosque in the center of which rises a
structure similar to the &Ka'bih, (&Masjid-i-Jum'ih). It was built only as
a sign indicating the Manifestation of the Will of God through the erection
of the house in that land. [Allusion to the new Mecca, i.e., the house of
the &Bab in &Shiraz.] Blessed be he who worships God in that land; truly
we, too, worshipped God there, and prayed for him who had erected that
building." ("Le &Bayan Persan," vol. 2, p. 151.)


Page 5, Note 2
"The news of his arrival caused a great stir and certain &Ulamas among
the most celebrated received him with reverence. They accorded him
great consideration and the inhabitants of the town did likewise. All of
the &Ulamas came to see him. It was well known that he was the most
learned among the most learned." (A. L. M. Nicolas' "Essai sur le
&Shaykhisme," p. 18.)


+P2
Pages 5-7, Note 3
A. L. M. Nicolas, in his book "Essai sur le &Shaykhisme," pp. 19-20,
refers to a second letter addressed by the &Shah to &Shaykh &Ahmad:
"The &Shah, forewarned, wrote again telling him that evidently it was
his duty, his, the King's, to go out of his way to come to Yazd to see the
illustrious and holy person whose feet were a blessing to the province upon
whose soil they had trodden, but because of political reasons of high
importance he could not, at this moment, leave the capital. Besides it was
necessary, he said, in case of change of residence, to bring with him a force
of at least ten thousand men, and, as the town of Yazd was too small to
support such a large population, the arrival of so many troops would most
certainly occasion a famine. `You would not wish such a calamity to
occur, I am quite certain, and I think therefore that, although I am of very
small importance compared to you, you will consent, nevertheless to come
to me.'"

Page 12, Note 1
"The &Shah felt his good will and respect for the &Shaykh grow
increasingly from day to day. He felt obliged to obey him and would have
considered it an act of blasphemy to oppose him. However, at this time,
a succession of earthquakes occurred in Rayy and many were destroyed.
"The &Shah had a dream in which it was revealed to him that, if &Shaykh
&Ahmad had not been there, the entire city would have been destroyed and
all the inhabitants killed. He awakened terrified and his faith in the
&Shaykh grew apace." (A. L. M. Nicolas' "Essai sur le &Shaykhisme,"
I, p. 21.)

Page 13, Note 2
"&Kirmanshah awaited him with great impatience. The Prince
Governor &Muhammad-'Ali &Mirza had sent the entire town to meet him
and they had erected tents in which to receive him at &Chah-Qilan. The
Prince went even beyond to the &Taj-Abad which lies four &farsakhs distant
from the town." (A. L. M. Nicolas' "Essai sur le &Shaykhisme," I, p. 30.)

Page 16, Note 1
A. L. M. Nicolas, in his preface to "Essai sur le &Shaykhisme," I, quotes
the following as having been spoken by &Shaykh &Ahmad regarding Siyyid
&Kazim: "There is only Siyyid &Kazim-i-Rashti who understands my
objective and no one but him understands it.... Seek the science after
me from Siyyid &Kazim-i-Rashti who has acquired it directly from me, who


+P3
learned it from the &Imams, who learned it from the Prophet to whom
God had given it.... He is the only one who understands me!"

Pages 17-18, Note 2
The &Bab, Himself, refers to this passage and confirms it in the
"&Dala'il-i-Sab'ih": "The words of the revered &Shaykh &Ahmad-i-Ahsa'i are
well known. They contain numerous allusions to the subject of the
Manifestation. For example, he has written with his own hand to Siyyid
&Kazim-i-Rashti: `Just as it is necessary in order to build a house to have
suitable ground, so also for this Manifestation must the moment be propitious.
But here one cannot give an answer clearly foretelling the moment. Soon
we shall know it with certainty.' That which you have heard so often
yourself from Siyyid &Kazim, is not that an explanation? Did he not
reiterate every minute--`You do not wish then that I should go away so
that God may appear?'" ("The Book of the Seven Proofs," translated by
A. L. M. Nicolas, p. 58.) "There is also the anecdote referring to &Shaykh
&Ahmad-i-Ahsa'i on his way to Mecca. It has been proven that this anecdote
is authentic and hence there is something which is certain. The
disciples of the deceased have related the sayings which they have heard
and also certain personages were mentioned such as &Mulla &Abdu'l-Khaliq
and &Murtada-Quli. &Mulla &Abdu'l-Khaliq relates that the &Shaykh said to
them one day: `Pray that you may not be present at the beginning of the
Manifestation and of the Return, as there will be many civil wars.' He
added: `If any one of you should still be living at that time, he shall see
strange things between the years sixty and sixty-seven. And what strange
thing can be more strange than the very Being of the Manifestation? You
will be there and you will witness another extraordinary event; that is to
say, God, in order to bring about the victory of the Manifestation, will
raise up a Being who will speak his own thoughts without ever having been
instructed by anyone.'" (Ibid., pp. 59-60.)

Page 18, Note 3
"His body was carried to Medina where it was buried in the Cemetery
&Baqi, behind the walls of the cupola of the Prophet, on the south side, under
the drain spout of &Mihrab. They say that there also is to be found the
tomb of &Fatimih facing that of &Baytu'l-Hazan." (A. L. M. Nicolas'
"Essai sur le &Shaykhisme," I, pp. 60-61.)
"The death of &Shaykh &Ahmad put an end for a few days to the conflict,
and the anger seemed appeased. Moreover it was at this time that &Islam
received a terrible blow and that its power was broken. The Russian
Emperor defeated the Moslem nations and most of the provinces, inhabited


+P4
by the Moslem peoples, fell into the hands of the Russian armies." (A. L.
M. Nicolas' "Essai sur le &Shaykhisme," II, p. 5.)
"On the other hand, it was thought that &Shaykh &Ahmad being now
dead, his doctrine would definitely disappear with him. Peace lasted for
nearly two years; but the &Muhammadans returned quickly to their former
sentiments as soon as they saw that the light of the doctrine of the deceased
still radiated over the world, thanks to Siyyid &Kazim-i-Rashti, the best, the
most faithful disciple of &Shaykh &Ahmad, and his successor." (Ibid., pp.
5-6.)


CHAPTER II

Page 23, Note 5
The &Bab, in the "&Dala'il-i-Sab'ih," refers to &Mulla &Husayn in these
terms: "You, especially, know who is the first witness of that faith. You
know that the majority of the doctors of the &Shaykhi and the &Siyyidiyyih
and other sects admired his science and his talent. When he came to
&Isfahan the urchins of the town cried out as he passed, `Ah! Ah! a ragged
student has just arrived!' But behold! This man by his proofs and arguments
convinced a Siyyid, one known for his proven scientific knowledge,
&Muhammad-Baqir! Truly that is one of the proofs of this Manifestation,
for after the death of the Siyyid, this personage went to see most of the
doctors of &Islam and found Truth only with the Master of Truth. It was
then that he attained the destiny which had been determined for him. In
truth the people of the beginning and of the end of this Manifestation envy
him and will envy him until the Day of Judgment. And who then can
accuse this master-mind of mental weakness and infidelity?" ("Le Livre
des Sept Preuves," translated by A. L. M. Nicolas, p. 54.)

Page 24, Note 1
The &Bab in this connection reveals the following in the
"&Dala'il-i-Sab'ih": "That which he was still saying at the time of his last
journey, that which you, yourself, have heard, is it not being spoken of? And
likewise the account of &Mirza &Muhammad-i-Akhbari which
&Abdu'l-Husayn-i-Shushtari relates? &Mirza &Muhammad-i-Akhbari, while at
&Kazimayn, one day asked of the venerable Siyyid when the &Imam would manifest
himself. The Siyyid looked over the assembly and said: `You will see him.'
&Mulla &Muhammad-Taqiy-i-Haravi also related this incident in &Isfahan." ("Le
Livre des Sept Preuves," translated by A. L. M. Nicolas, p. 58.)


+P5
Page 34, Note 1
A. L. M. Nicolas quotes in Chapter 3 of his "Essai sur le &Shaykhisme,"
II, p. 43, the following extract from the &Sharh-i-Qasidih of Siyyid &Kazim:
"I have announced that every hundred years there are a chosen few who
spread and sow the precepts which explain that which is lawful and that
which is unlawful; who tell of the things that were hidden during the
hundred preceding years. In other words, in every century a learned and
perfect man is found who causes the tree of religious law to revive and
bloom; who regenerates its trunk to such an extent that at last the book of
Creation comes to its end in a period of twelve hundred years. At that
moment, a certain number of perfect men will appear who will reveal certain
very intimate things which were hidden.... Therefore, when the
twelve hundred years will have been completed, when the first cycle is
ended, which depended upon the appearance of the Sun of the Prophet
and of the Moon of the &Vilayat, then the influence of that cycle is ended and
a second cycle begins in which the intimate precepts and hidden meanings
of the former cycle are explained." He himself then adds these words:
"In other words, and in order to render clearer this amazing statement
which truly needs no interpretation, Siyyid &Kazim tells us that the first
cycle which lasts twelve hundred years is solely for the education of the
bodies and of the spirits which are dependent upon them. It is like a child
in the womb of the mother. The second cycle is for the education of the
pure spirits, the souls which have no relation to the world of matter. It is
as though God wished to elevate the spirit by means of the performance of
its duty in this world. Therefore, when the first cycle is completed, the
glory of which is the name of &Muhammad, comes the cycle of the education
of the intimates. In this cycle the appearances obey the intimates, just as
in the preceding cycle the heavenly name of the Prophet, which is &Ahmad,
is the place of the appearance, the Master: `But this name must necessarily
be found to be of the fruit of the best soil and of the purest air.'" Nicolas
further adds in a footnote the following words: "The name of &Ahmad mentioned
above would lead one to believe that it refers to &Shaykh &Ahmad,
but one cannot say, however, in speaking of &Lahca, that it is the best of
lands, or of the purest air. We know, on the contrary, that all the Persian
poets sing the praises of &Shiraz and of its ideal climate. It is only
necessary to see what &Shaykh &Ahmad himself said of his country."

Page 37, Note 1
A. L. M. Nicolas, in his "Essai sur le &Shaykhisme," II, pp. 29-30,
describes the event as follows:
"It was in the year 1258 (1842) that this event took place, on the day of


+P6
the Feast of Qadr. The armies of &Baghdad, under the leadership of &Najib
&Pasha, took possession of &Karbila whose inhabitants they massacred and
whose rich Mosques they pillaged. About nine thousand people were
killed, the majority of whom were Persians. &Muhammad &Shah was seriously
ill at the time of this disaster and therefore his officials had kept the
news from him.
"When the &Shah heard later on of these events, he grew furiously angry
and swore fierce vengeance, but the Russian and English representatives
intervened in order to quiet things. Finally &Mirza &Ja'far &Khan
&Mushiru'd-Dawlih, on return from his ambassadorship at Constantinople, was
sent to Erzeroum there to meet the English, Russian and Ottoman delegates.
"Having arrived at &Tabriz, the Persian plenipotentiary fell ill and &Haji
&Mirza &Aqasi appointed in his place &Mirza &Taqi &Khan-i-Farahani, &Vazir
&Nizam: this man appeared in Erzeroum with two hundred officers.
"The Turkish delegate was Anvar Effendi who showed himself both
courteous and conciliatory, but one of the men of the &Amir &Nizam committed
an offense against the Sunnite religion; the population then attacked
the camp of the Ambassador, two or three Persians were killed, everything
was pillaged and the &Amir &Nizam was saved only through the intervention
of &Badri &Pasha.
"The Turkish Government expressed regret and paid an indemnity of
15,000 &tumans.
"In his &Hidayatut-Talibin, &Karim &Khan asserts that during the sack of
&Karbila, the victorious troops respected the homes of the &Shaykhis. All
those, he said, who sought refuge in them were saved, together with many
precious objects which were gathered there. None of the companions of
Siyyid &Kazim were killed, while those who had sought refuge in the holy
sepulchres were massacred without mercy. It is said that the &Pasha
entered on horseback within the sacred precincts."

Page 38, Note 1
A. L. M. Nicolas, in his "Essai sur le &Shaykhisme," Il, pp. 60-61, gives
the following extract from the writings of Siyyid &Kazim: "You have
understood, I think, that the religious law and the precepts of morality are
the food of the Spirit. It is then necessary that these religious laws be
diverse; it is necessary that sometimes the older regulations be annulled; it
is necessary that these precepts contain some things which are doubtful and
some things which are certain; some things general and some things
specific; some things absolute and some things finite; some of appearances and
some of inner realities, so that the child may reach adolescence and
may be perfect in his power and his capacity.


+P7
"It is, at that time, that the &Qa'im will appear and after his
manifestation the length of his days will come to an end and he will be
martyred, and when he is martyred, the world will have reached its eighteenth
year."

Page 45, Note 1
"&Karim &Khan, regarding the taking of &Karbila, speaks emphatically of
the respect which the attacking troops showed to the &Shaykhis and to
Siyyid &Kazim-i-Rashti. He declares, without the least hesitation, that it
is very likely that Siyyid &Kazim was poisoned in &Baghdad by this infamous
&Najib &Pasha who, he says, gave him a potion to drink which caused such
intense thirst that it brought about the death of Siyyid &Kazim. It is thus
that the Persians record history!" (A. L. M. Nicolas' "Essai sur le
&Shaykhisme," II, pp. 30-31.)

Page 45, Note 2
"He was buried behind the window in the corridor of the tomb of the
Lord of the Confessors. This tomb was built on an incline toward the
interior of the forbidden precincts." (Ibid., p. 31.)

Page 46, Note 1
"During the lifetime of Siyyid &Kazim, the doctrine of the &Shaykhis
spread over all Persia so well that in the Province of &Iraq alone there were
more than a hundred thousand &murids." (Journal Asiatique, 1866, tome 7,
p. 463.)

Page 46, Note 2
"Here ends the history of the establishment of &Shaykhism, or at least
of its unity, for, after the death of Siyyid &Kazim-i-Rashti, it became divided
into two branches. One branch, under the name of &Babism, flowered as
foreshadowed by the strength of the movement created by &Shaykh &Ahmad,
thus fulfilling the expectations of the two masters, if one may believe their
predictions. The other, under the leadership of &Karim
&Khan-i-Qajar-i-Kirmani, will continue its struggles against the &Shiite sect,
but will always seek security in affecting the outer appearance
&Ithna-'Asharisme. If, according to &Karim &Khan, the &Bab and his followers
are infamous and impious, for the &Babis, &Karim &Khan is the Anti-Christ or
&Dajjal foretold by &Muhammad." (A. L. M. Nicolas' "Essai sur le &Shaykhisme,"
II, p. 31.)


+P8
CHAPTER III

Page 47, Note 1
"&Mulla &Husayn-i-Bushru'i was a man whose great learning and strength
of character were acknowledged even by his enemies. He had devoted
himself to study from early childhood and his progress in theology and
jurisprudence had won him no little consideration." (Comte de Gobineau's
"Les Religions et les Philosophies dans l'Asie Centrale," p. 128.)

Page 62, Note 1
A. L. M. Nicolas quotes the following from the &Kitabu'l-Haramayn:
"In truth, the first day that the Spirit descended in the heart of this Slave
was the fifteenth of the month of &Rabi'u'l-Avval." (A. L. M. Nicolas'
"Siyyid &Ali-Muhammad dit le &Bab," p. 206.)

Page 63, Note 2
"In the first of his books he was, above all, pious and mystical; in the
second, polemics and dialectics held an important place, and his listeners
noticed that he unfolded, from a chapter in the Book of God which he had
chosen, a new meaning which no one had heretofore perceived and especially
that he drew from it doctrines and information wholly unexpected. That
which one never tired of admiring was the elegance and beauty of the
Arabic style used in those writings. They soon had enthusiastic admirers
who did not fear to prefer them to the finest passages in the &Qur'an."
(Comte de Gobineau's "Les Religions et les Philosophies dans l'Asie Centrale,"
p. 120.)

Page 66, Note 1
"Understand in the same way the beginning of the manifestation of the
&Bayan during forty days no one but the letter &Sin believed in B. It was
only, little by little, that the &Bismi'llahu'l-Amna'u'l-Aqdas clothed
themselves with the garment of faith until finally the Primal Unity was
completed. Witness then how it has increased until our day." ("Le &Bayan
Persan," vol. 4, p. 119.)

Page 76, Note 1
According to &Haji &Mu'inu's-Saltanih's narrative (p. 37), the &Bab
assumed, at the age of twenty, the independent direction of His business
affairs. "Orphaned at an early age, he was placed under the tutelage of his
maternal uncle, &Aqa Siyyid &Ali, under whose direction he entered the same


+P9
trade in which his father had been engaged (that is to say, the mercantile
business)." (A. L. M. Nicolas' "Siyyid &Ali-Muhammad dit le &Bab,"
p. 189.)

Page 76, Note 3
The &Bab refers to her in his commentary on the &Surih of Joseph (&Surih
of &Qarabat). The following is A. L. M. Nicolas' translation of the passage
in question: "In truth I have become betrothed before the throne of God
with &Sara, that is to say, the dearly beloved, because `dearly beloved' is
derived from Dearly Beloved (the Dearly Beloved is &Muhammad which
signifies that &Sara was a Siyyid). In truth I have taken the angels of
heaven and those who dwell in Paradise as witnesses of our betrothal.
"Know that the benevolence of the &Dhikr Sublime is great, O dearly
beloved! Because it is the benevolence which comes from God, the Beloved.
Thou art not like other women if thou obeyest God with regard to
the &Dhikr Sublime. Know the great truth of the Holy Word and glory
within thyself that thou art seated with the friend who is the Favorite of
the Most High God. Truly the glory comes to thee from God, the Wise.
Be patient in the command which comes from God concerning the &Bab
and his family. Verily, thy son &Ahmad has a refuge in the blessed heaven
close to the great &Fatimih!" (Preface to A. L. M. Nicolas' "Le &Bayan
Persan," vol. 2, pp. 10-11.)

Page 76, Note 4
The &Bab refers to his son in his commentary on the &Surih of Joseph.
The following is A. L. M. Nicolas' translation: "In truth, thy son &Ahmad
has a refuge in the Blessed Paradise near to the Great &Fatimih." (&Surih of
&Qarabat.) "Glory be to God Who in truth has given to the `Delight of the
Eyes,' in her youth, a son who is named &Ahmad. Verily, we have reared
this child toward God!" (&Surih of &Abd.) (Preface A. L. M. Nicolas'
"Le &Bayan Persan," vol. 2, p. II.)

Page 77, Note 2
"He was already predisposed to meditation and inclined to be silent,
while his fine face, the radiance of his glance as well as his modest and
contemplative mien drew, even at that early date, the attention of his
fellow-citizens. Though very young, he felt an invincible attraction to
matters of religion, for he was barely nineteen when he wrote his first work,
the `&risaliy-i-Fiqhiyyih' in which he reveals a true piety and an Islamic
effusion, which seemed to predict a brilliant future within the law of &Shiite
orthodoxy. It is probable that this work was written at &Bushihr, for he


+P10
was sent there by his uncle at the age of eighteen or nineteen to look after
his business interests." (A. L. M. Nicolas' "Siyyid &Ali-Muhammad dit le
&Bab," pp. 188-189.)

Page 79, Note 1
"In society he held converse preferably with the learned or listened to
the tales of travelers who congregated in this commercial city. This is
why he was generally considered to be one of the followers of &Tariqat who
were held in high esteem by the people." (Journal Asiatique, 1866, tome 7,
p. 335.)

Page 79-80, Note 4
"Withdrawn within himself, always absorbed in pious practices, of
extreme simplicity of manner, of a fascinating gentleness, those gifts further
heightened by his great youth and his marvellous charm, he drew about
himself a number of persons who were deeply edified. People then began
to speak of his science and of the penetrating eloquence of his discourses.
He could not open his lips (we are assured by those who knew him) without
stirring the hearts to their very depths.
"Speaking, moreover, with a profound reverence regarding the Prophet,
the &Imams and their holy companions, he fascinated the severely orthodox
while, at the same time, in more intimate addresses, the more ardent and
eager minds were happy to find that there was no rigidity in his profession
of traditional opinions which they would have found boring. His conversations,
on the contrary, opened before them unlimited horizons, varied,
colored, mysterious, with shadows broken here and there by patches of
blinding light which transported those imaginative people of Persia into
a state of ecstasy." (Comte de Gobineau's "Les Religions et les Philosophies
dans l'Asie Centrale," p. 118.)

Pages 82-83, Note 2
"One of the most distinguished families of &Qazvin--and by this I mean
most distinguished by the number of high offices which their various members
held in the ecclesiastical hierarchy, as well as by their reputation for
science--was, without doubt, the family of &Haji &Mulla &Salih-i-Baraqani
who received after his death the title of `&Shahid-i-Thalith', that is to say,
`the third martyr.' We shall review their early history in order to make
clear the role which they played in the religious dissensions of Persia, as
well as in the catastrophe which was fatally to develop the arrogant character
of the brother of &Mulla &Salih. When the great Mujtahid &Aqa Siyyid
&Muhammad arrived at &Qazvin, someone asked him if &Haji &Mulla


+P11
&Salih-i-Baraqani was a Mujtahid. `Assuredly,' replied the Siyyid, and that
all the more so since &Salih was one of his former students who towards the
last had followed the teachings of &Aqa Siyyid &Ali. `Very well,' replied his
questioner, `but his brother &Muhammad-Taqi, is he also worthy of the
sacred title?' &Aqa Siyyid &Muhammad replied by praising the qualities
and the science of &Taqi but avoiding a precise answer to the direct question
put to him. However, this did not prevent the questioner from spreading
abroad in the city the news that Siyyid &Muhammad himself acknowledged
&Taqi as a Master whom he had declared Mujtahid in his presence.
"Now Siyyid &Muhammad had gone to live with one of his colleagues,
&Haji &Mulla &Abdu'l-Vahhab. The latter learned quickly of the news which
was thus noised abroad and he immediately summoned before him the
questioner of the Siyyid whom he reproached severely in the presence of
witnesses. Naturally, the rumor spread from tongue to tongue until it
reached &Taqi, who became furious and declared each time he heard the
name of &Mulla &Abdu'l-Vahhab,--`I only respect him because he is the son
of my blessed Master.'
"Siyyid &Muhammad, having been informed of all these incidents and of
all the rumors, and realizing that he had saddened the heart of &Taqi, came
one day to invite him to luncheon; he treated him with great respect,
wrote for him his brevet of Mujtahid and, this same day, accompanied him
to the Mosque. The prayer over, he sat down on the steps of the pulpit
where he spoke the praises of &Taqi and confirmed him in his new dignity,
in the presence of the entire assembly. It happened that, a little later,
&Shaykh &Ahmad-i-Ahsa'i passed through &Qazvin. This personage, said to
be the very pious author of `&Qisasu'l-'Ulama,' was declared impious because
he had endeavored to reconcile philosophy and religious law, `and everyone
knows that in most cases to try to blend religious law with intelligence is an
impossibility.' Be that as it may, &Shaykh &Ahmad rose high above his
contemporaries, many men sharing his opinions. He had followers in all
the cities of Persia and the &Shah &Fath-'Ali treated him with great deference,
while &Akhund &Mulla &Ali said of him, `He is an ignorant man with a pure
heart.'
"While in &Qazvin, he sojourned in the house of &Mulla &Abdu'l-Vahhab
who was henceforth to be the enemy of the &Baraqani family. He went to
worship in the Mosque of the parish and the &ulamas of &Qazvin came to
pray under his guidance. He naturally returned all the visits and courtesies
extended to him by these holy men, was on good terms with them and soon
it became known that his host was one of his disciples. One day he went
to call upon &Haji &Mulla &Taqi-i-Baraqani who received him apparently with
profound respect, but took advantage of the opportunity to ask him some


+P12
insidious questions. `Regarding the resurrection of the dead on the Day
of Judgment,' he asked, `do you share the opinion of &Mulla &Sadra?' `No,'
replied &Shaykh &Ahmad. Then &Taqi, calling his youngest brother &Haji
&Mulla &Ali, said: `Go to my library and bring me the &Shavahid-i-Rububiyyih
of &Mulla &Sadra.' Then, as &Haji &Mulla was slow to return, he said
to &Shaykh &Ahmad: `Although I do not agree with you on this subject, I am
nevertheless curious to know your opinion on the matter.' The &Shaykh
replied, `Nothing would be easier. My conviction is that the resurrection
will not take place with our material bodies but with their essence, and by
essence I mean, for example, the glass which is potentially in the stone.'
"Excuse me,' &Taqi replied maliciously, `but this essence is different
from the material body and you know that it is a dogma in our holy religion to
believe in the resurrection of the material body.' The &Shaykh remained
silent and it was in vain that one of his pupils, a native of &Turkistan,
endeavored to divert the conversation by starting a discussion which was
likely to be a lengthy one, but the blow was dealt and &Shaykh &Ahmad
withdrew, convinced that he had been compromised. It was not long
before he realized that his conversation had been carefully related by &Taqi
for, that very day, when he went to the Mosque to pray he was followed
only by &Abdu'l-Vahhab. A misunderstanding was broiling and threatened
to break, but &Abdu'l-Vahhab, thinking he had found a way to smooth
things over and remove all the difficulties, entreated his Master to write
and publish a book in which he would affirm the resurrection of the material
body. But he had not taken into account the hatred of &Taqi. In fact,
&Shaykh &Ahmad did write the treatise, which still may be found in his book
entitled `&Ajvibatu'l-Masa'il' but no one cared to read it and his impiety
was noised abroad increasingly from day to day. It came to the point
where the Governor of the city, Prince &Ali-Naqi &Mirza &Ruknu'd-Dawlih,
considering the importance of the personages involved in the controversy
and afraid being blamed for allowing this dissension to grow, resolved
to bring about an agreement.
"One night, he invited all the celebrated &Ulamas of the city to a great
banquet. &Shaykh &Ahmad was given the seat of honor and close to him,
only separated by one person, was &Taqi. Platters were brought, prepared
for three people, so that the two enemies found that they were obliged to
eat together, but the irreconcilable &Taqi turned toward the platter of his
neighbors on his right hand and to the great consternation of the Prince, he
placed his left hand over the left side of his face in such a manner that he
could not possibly see &Shaykh &Ahmad. After the banquet which proved
rather dull, the Prince, still determined to reconcile the two adversaries,
bestowed great praise on &Shaykh &Ahmad, acknowledging him as the great


+P13
Arabian and Persian Doctor and saying that &Taqi should show him the
greatest respect; that it was not proper for him to give ear to the gossip
of men eager to create conflict between two exceptional minds. &Taqi
interrupted him violently and declared with great contempt, `There can be
no peace between impiety and faith! Concerning the resurrection the
&Shaykh holds a doctrine opposed to the religion of &Islam, (&Islamic law)
therefore, whoever holds such a doctrine is an impious one and what can
such a rebel and I have in common?'
"The Prince insisted and entreated in vain, but &Taqi refused to yield
and they all adjourned." (A. L. M. Nicolas' "Siyyid &Ali-Muhammad dit
le &Bab," pp. 263-267.)

Pages 84-85, Note 1
"&Mulla &Salih had among his children a daughter, &Zarrin-Taj (Crown of
Gold), who had attracted attention from early childhood. Instead of
taking part in games and amusements like her companions, she passed
hours at a time listening to her parents discuss religious matters. Her
keen intelligence quickly perceived the fallacies of &Islamic science without
succumbing to it and soon she was able to discuss points which were most
obscure and confusing. The &Hadiths (traditions) held no secrets for her.
Her reputation soon became widely known in the city and her fellow-citizens
considered her a prodigy, and justly so. A prodigy in science, also a
prodigy of beauty, for the child, as she grew to girlhood, possessed a face
which shone with such radiant beauty that they named her `&Qurratu'l-'Ayn',
which M. de Gobineau translates as `The Consolation of the Eyes.'
Her brother &Abdu'l-Vahhab-i-Qazvini who inherited the learning and
reputation of his father, himself relates, in spite of the fact that he
remained, at least in appearance, a &Muhammadan: `None of us, her brothers or
her cousins dared to speak in her presence, her learning so intimidated us, and
if we ventured to express some hypothesis upon a disputed point of doctrine,
she demonstrated in such a clear, precise and conclusive manner that we
were going astray, that we instantly withdrew confused.'
"She was present at her father's and uncle's classes, in the same room
with two or three hundred students, but always concealed behind a curtain,
and more than once she refuted the explanation that these two elderly men
offered upon such and such a question. Her reputation became universal
throughout all Persia, and the most haughty &Ulamas consented to adopt
some of her hypotheses and opinions. This fact is all the more extraordinary
because the &Shiite &Muhammadan religion relegates the woman
almost to the level of the animal. They consider that she has no soul and
exists merely for reproduction.


+P14
"&Qurratu'l-'Ayn married, when still quite young, the son of her uncle,
&Muhammad-i-Qazvini who was the &Imam-Jum'ih of the city and later she
went to &Karbila where she attended the classes of Siyyid &Kazim-i-Rashti.
She shared with enthusiasm the ideas of her Master, ideas with which she
was already familiar, the city of &Qazvin having become a center for the
&Shaykhi doctrine.
"She was, as we shall see later, of an ardent temperament, of a precise
and clear intelligence, of a marvellous presence of mind and indomitable
courage. All of these qualities combined were to bring her to take interest
in the &Bab whom she heard speak immediately after his return to &Qazvin.
That which she learned interested her so vitally that she began corresponding
with the Reformer and soon, convinced by him, she made known her
conversion urbi et orbi. The scandal was very great and the clergy were
shocked. In vain, her husband, her father and her brothers pleaded with her
to renounce this dangerous madness, but she remained inflexible and proclaimed
resolutely her faith." (A. L. M. Nicolas' "Siyyid &Ali-Muhammad
dit le &Bab," pp. 273-274.)

Page 85, Note 1
"`This name comes to them,' said &Haji &Karim &Khan in his
&Hidayatu't-Talibin, `from the fact that the late &Shaykh &Ahmad, being at
&Karbila during his pilgrimages to the holy tombs, and out of respect for the
&Imams, recited his prayers standing behind the &Imam, that is to say, at his
feet. In fact, for him there was no difference between the respect to be
tendered to a dead &Imam or a living &Imam. The Persians, on the contrary,
when entering into the tomb, placed themselves at the head of the &Imam and
consequently turned their backs to him when they prayed because the dead
saints are buried with their heads towards the Qiblih. This is a disgrace
and a lie! The apostles of Jesus pretending to have come to the assistance
of God, were called `&Nasara,' a name which was given to all those who
followed in their footsteps. It is thus that the name of &Bala-Sari extended
to all that follow the doctrine of those who pray standing at the
head of the &Imam.'" (A. L. M. Nicolas' "Essai sur le &Shaykhisme," I,
preface, pp. 5-6.)

Page 94, Note 1
The &Bab refers to the Letters of the Living in the Persian &Bayan
(&Vahid I, &Bab 2) in the following terms: "All of these formed the name of
the Living One, for these are the names that are the nearest to God; the
others are guided by their clear and significant actions, for God began the
creation of the &Bayan through them, and it is to them that the creation of


+P15
the &Bayan will again return. They are the lights which in the past have
eternally prostrated themselves and will prostrate themselves eternally in
the future, before the celestial throne." ("Le &Bayan Persan," vol. 1,
pp. 24-25.)

Pages 94-96, Note 2
A. L. M. Nicolas, in his introduction to volume I of "Le &Bayan Persan"
(pp. 3-5), writes as follows: "Everyone agrees in acknowledging that it
would be absolutely impossible for him to proclaim loudly his doctrine or to
spread it among men. He had to act as does a physician to children, who
must disguise a bitter medicine in a sweet coating in order to win over his
young patients. The people in the midst of whom he appeared were, and
still are, alas, more fanatical than the Jews were at the time of Jesus, when
the majesty of Roman peace was no longer there to put a stop to the furious
excesses of religious madness of an over-excited people. Therefore, if
Christ, in spite of the relative calm of the surroundings in which He
preached, thought it necessary to employ the parable, Siyyid &Ali-Muhammad,
a fortiori, was obliged to disguise his thought in numerous circuitous
ways and only pour out, one drop at a time, the filter of his divine truths.
He brings up his child, Humanity; he guides it, endeavoring always not to
frighten it and directs its first steps on a path which leads it slowly but
surely, so that, as soon as it can proceed alone, it reaches the goal
pre-ordained for it from all eternity."


CHAPTER IV

Page 97, Note 1
"In crowds they gathered to hear the teacher. He occupied in turn all
the pulpits of &Isfahan where he was free to speak publicly and to announce
that &Mirza &Ali-Muhammad was the twelfth &Imam, the &Imam &Mihdi. He
displayed and read his Master's books and would reveal their eloquence
and their depth, emphasizing the extreme youthfulness of the seer and
telling of his miracles." (Comte de Gobineau's "Les Religions et les
Philosophies dans l'Asie Centrale," p. 130.)

Page 99, Note 1
`Behold the land of &Sad (&Isfahan) which in this world of appearances is
the greatest of lands. In every one of its schools, numerous slaves are
found who bear the name of savants and contestants. At the time of the


+P15
election of members, even a sifter of grain may put on the garb of primacy
(above the others). It is here that the secret of the word of the &Imams,
regarding the Manifestation, shines forth: "The lowliest of the creatures
shall become the most exalted, and the most exalted shall become the most
debased.'" ("The &Bayan Persan," vol. 4, p. 113.)

Page 101, Note 1
"The sojourn of &Bushru'i in &Isfahan proved a triumph for the &Bab.
The conversions that he performed were numerous and brilliant; but, such
are the ways of the world, that they drew down upon him the fierce hatred
of the official clergy to which he was obliged to yield and he withdrew from
that city. In fact, the conversion of &Mulla &Muhammad &Taqi-i-Hirati,
a jurist of the first rank, brought their fury to a climax, because
over-flowing with zeal as he was, he would go every day to the mambar where he
talked to men openly of the greatness of the &Bab to whom he gave the rank
of &Na'ib-i-khass of the twelfth &Imam." (A. L. M. Nicolas' "Siyyid
&Ali-Muhammad dit le &Bab," p. 255.)

Page 103, Note 1
"He passed several days in that capital but he did not appear in public.
He limited himself to confidential conversations with those who visited
him. He thus received many and won over to his doctrine a fairly large
number of enquirers. Each one wished to see him, or to have seen him,
and the King, &Muhammad &Shah and his Minister, &Haji &Mirza &Aqasi, true
Persians as they were, did not fail to have him brought before them. He
laid before them his doctrine and gave to them the Books of the Master."
(Comte de Gobineau's "Les Religions et les Philosophies dans l'Asie Centrale,"
p. 131.)


CHAPTER VI

Page 125, Note 1
"The pilgrim, as was customary with him, would make the most of his
stay which he would prolong if need be, in the villages, towns and cities on
his way, in order to hold conferences, to speak against the &Mullas, to make
known the Books of the &Bab and to preach his doctrines. He was summoned
everywhere and waited for impatiently; he was sought after with
curiosity, listened to eagerly and believed with little difficulty.
"It was at &Nishapur above all, that he made two important conversions
in the persons of &Mulla &Abdu'l-Khaliq of Yazd, and of &Mulla &Ali the


+P17
Young. The first of these Doctors had been the pupil of &Shaykh
&Ahmad-i-Ahsa'i. He was a person celebrated for his science, for his eloquence
and for his standing among the people. The other, a &Shaykh like the first,
a man of strict ethics and high understanding, held the important position
of the principal mujtahid of the city. Both became ardent &Babis. They
made the pulpits of the Mosques resound with violent denunciations of
&Islam.
"During several weeks, it seemed as though the old religion had been
completely defeated. The clergy, demoralized by the defection of their
chief and frightened by the public addresses which did not spare them,
either dared not show themselves or had taken flight. When &Mulla
&Husayn-i-Bushru'i came to &Mashhad he found, on the one hand, the
population stirred up and divided about him, on the other hand, the clergy
forewarned and very anxious, but exasperated and determined to oppose a
vigorous resistance to the attacks about to be launched against them."
(Comte de Gobineau's "Les Religions et les Philosophies dans l'Asie Centrale,"
pp. 139-140.)


CHAPTER VII

Pages 129-130, Note 2
"He retained the most disagreeable impression of his voyage. `Know
that the sea voyages are hard. We do not favor them for the faithful;
travel by land,' he wrote in the &Kitab-i-Baynu'l-Haramayn in addressing
himself to his uncle, as we shall soon see. He elaborates upon this subject
also in the &Bayan. Do not consider this childish, the feelings which moved
the &Bab in his horror of the sea are far more noble.
"Struck by the selfishness of the pilgrims which was heightened by the
discomforts of a long and dangerous sea voyage, equally shocked by the
unclean conditions that the pilgrims were obliged to endure on board, he
wished to prevent men from yielding to their lower instincts and treating
one another harshly. We know that the &Bab especially commended
politeness and the most refined courtesy in all social relations. `Never
sadden anyone, no matter whom, for no matter what,' he enjoined, and
during this voyage he experienced the meanness of man and his brutality
when in the presence of difficulties. `The saddest thing that I saw on my
pilgrimage to Mecca was the constant disputes of the pilgrims between
themselves, disputes which took away the moral benefit of the pilgrimage.'
(&Bayan, 4:16.)


+P18
"In time he arrived at Mascate where he rested for several days during
which he sought to convert the people of that country but without success.
He spoke to one among them, a religious man probably, one of high rank,
whose conversion might also have been followed by that of his fellow citizens,
at least so I believe, though he gives us no details upon this subject.
Evidently he did not attempt to convert the first comer who would have
had no influence on the other inhabitants of the city. That he attempted a
conversion and did not succeed is an indisputable fact because he himself
affirms it: `The mention of God, in truth, descended upon the earth of
Mascate and made the way of God come to one of the inhabitants of the
country. It may be possible that he understood our verses and became
one of those who are guided. Say: This man obeyed his passions after
having read our verses and in truth this man is by the rules of the Book,
among the transgressors. Say: We have not seen in Mascate men of the
Book willing to help him, because they are lost in ignorance. And the
same was true of all these voyagers on the boat with the exception of one
who believed in our verses and became one of those who fear God.'" (A. L.
M. Nicolas' "Siyyid &Ali-Muhammad dit le &Bab," pp. 207-208.)

Pages 130-131, Note 1
"It is thus that I myself saw, on the voyage to Mecca, a notable who
was spending considerable sums of money but who hesitated to spend the
price of a glass of water for his fellow-traveler. This happened on the boat
where the water was scarce, so scarce in fact, during the voyage from
&Bushihr to Mascate, which lasted twelve days with no opportunity to get
water, that I had to content myself with sweet lemons." ("Le &Bayan
Persan," vol. 2, p. 154.)
"One cannot imagine on the sea anything but discomfort. One cannot
have all the necessities as in land travel. The mariners are obliged to live
thus but by their services they come nearer to God, and God rewards actions
performed on the land and on the sea but He grants a two-fold recompense
for those services accomplished by one of the servants on the sea, because
their work is more arduous." (Ibid., pp. 155-156.)
"I have seen (on the way to Mecca) acts of the vilest kind, in the eyes
of God, which were sufficient to undo the good resulting from the pilgrimage.
These were the quarrels among the pilgrims! Verily, the House of
God has no need of such people!" (Ibid., p. 155.)


+P19
CHAPTER VII

Page 148, Note 1
"This city became the arena for passionate discussions which profoundly
troubled the general peace. The curious, the pilgrims, the scandal-mongers
met there commenting upon the news, approving or blaming,
exalting the young Siyyid, or, on the contrary, heaping upon him maledictions
and insults. Everyone was excited and enervated. The &Mullas
saw with bitter anxiety the growing number of adherents to the new doctrine
and their resources diminished correspondingly. It became necessary
to act, as prolonged tolerance would empty the Mosques of their believers
who were convinced that since &Islam did not defend itself, it acknowledged
defeat. On the other hand, &Husayn &Khan, governor of &Shiraz,
&Nizamu'd-Dawlih, feared that, in letting things drift, the scandal would
become such that later it would be impossible to suppress it; that would be to
court disgrace. Besides, the &Bab did not content himself with preaching, he
called to himself men of good-will. `He who knows the Word of God and
does not come to His assistance in the days of violence is exactly like those
who turned away from the testimony of his holiness &Husayn, son of &Ali,
at &Karbila. Those are the impious ones!' (&Kitab-i-Baynu'l-Haramayn.)
The civil interests concurring with the interests of heaven, &Nizamu'd-Dawlih
and &Shaykh &Abu-Turab, the &Imam-Jum'ih agreed that humiliation
should be inflicted upon the innovator such as would discredit him in the
eyes of the populace; perhaps thus they might succeed in quieting things."
(A. L. M. Nicolas' "Siyyid &Ali-Muhammad dit le &Bab," pp. 229-230.)

Page 154, Note 1
"Following this public seance provoked by the folly of the &Mullas and
which won for him numerous partisans, the trouble became serious in all
the provinces of Persia; the dispute grew into such a grave situation that
&Muhammad &Shah sent to &Shiraz a man in whom he had complete confidence,
instructing him to make a report of everything he saw and understood.
This envoy was Siyyid &Yahyay-i-Darabi." (A. L. M. Nicolas'
Siyyid &Ali-Muhammad dit le &Bab," pp. 232-233.)

Pages 157-158, Note 1
"Be that as it may, the resultant impression was immense in &Shiraz
and all the learned and religious gathered around &Ali-Muhammad. As
soon as he appeared in the Mosque, they surrounded him and, as soon as
he was seated in the pulpit, everyone was silent in order to listen to him.


+P20
His public talks never attacked the essentials of the Faith of &Islam, they
respected most of its ritual; in fact, the &Kitman dominated. Nevertheless,
they were daring discourses. The clergy was not spared; its vices were
cruelly lashed. The sad and painful destiny of humanity was generally
the theme. Here and there, certain allusions, the obscurity of which
irritated the passions of some while it flattered the pride of others already
initiated as a whole or only in part, gave to his prophecies such a bitter
truth that the crowd was growing day by day and so, in all Persia, they were
beginning to talk of &Ali-Muhammad.
"The &Mullas of &Shiraz had not waited for all this agitation to unite
against this young detractor. From his first public appearances, they sent
to him their most able &Mullas to argue with him and confuse him, and these
public debates were held either in the Mosques or in the colleges in the
presence of the Governor, the military chiefs, the clergy, the people, in fact
before everyone. But, instead of benefiting the clergy, they contributed
quite a little to spread and exalt, at their own expense, the renown of this
enthusiastic teacher. It is a fact that he defeated his adversaries, he
condemned them--which was not very difficult--with the &Qur'an in hand. It
was an easy matter for him to show before all these crowds who knew the
&Mullas well, at which point their conduct, their precepts, and to what
extent their beliefs, even their theology, were in flagrant contradiction with
the Book, which they could not deny.
"Possessed of extraordinary daring and exaltation, he flayed unsparingly
the vices of his antagonists, disregarding all ordinary conventions.
After having proven their infidelity to their own doctrine, he shamed them
in their lives and threw them at pitch and toss to the indignation or the
contempt of the auditors.
"At &Shiraz, his first appearances, when he preached, were so profoundly
moving that even the orthodox &Muhammadans who were present have
retained an indelible memory of them and never recall them without a sort
of terror. They agreed unanimously that the eloquence of &Ali-Muhammad
was of an incomparable kind, such that, without having been an eye-witness,
one could not possibly imagine. Soon the young theologian no
longer appeared in public without being surrounded with many partisans.
His house was always filled with them and he not only taught in the
Mosques and in the colleges, but it was principally at his house and in the
evenings that, withdrawn in a room with the elite of his admirers, he lifted
for them the veils of a doctrine which even for himself he had not yet fully
established.
"It seemed in these early days that he was occupied with polemics
rather than with dogmatic statements and nothing is more natural. In


+P21
these secret talks, his bold declarations which were much more frequent
than in the public addresses, grew each day and tended so clearly to a complete
overthrow of &Islam that they were a prelude to a new profession of
Faith. The little congregation was ardent, brave, carried away, ready for
anything; they were fanatical in the true and noble sense of the word, that
is to say, that every one of its members thought himself of no importance
and burned with a desire to sacrifice his life-blood and his belongings for the
cause of Truth." (Comte de Gobineau's "Les Religions et les Philosophies
dans l'Asie Centrale," pp. 120, 122.)
"These ethics taught by a young man at an age when passions were
intense, deeply impressed an audience, religious to the point of fanaticism,
above all when the words of the preacher were in perfect harmony with his
conduct. No one doubted the continence and the firmness of &Karbila'i
Siyyid &Ali-Muhammad; he spoke little, meditated constantly and most
of the time fled from the presence of men, which all the more aroused their
curiosity. He was sought after everywhere." (Journal Asiatique, 1866,
tome 7, p. 341.)
"By the uprightness of his life the young Siyyid served as an example
to those about him. He was willingly listened to when, in his ambiguous
and interrupted talks, he condemned the abuses evident in all classes of
society. His words were repeated and elaborated upon and they spoke of
him as the true Master and gave themselves to him unreservedly." (Ibid.)


CHAPTER IX

Page 170, Note 1
"&Babism had many adepts in all classes of society, and many among
them were of important standing; great lords, members of the clergy,
military men and merchants had accepted this doctrine." (Journal
Asiatique, 1866, tome 8, p. 251.)

Pages 171-172, Note 2
* * * "This personage was, as his name indicates, born at &Darab near
&Shiraz; his father, Siyyid &Ja'far, surnamed &Kashfi, was one of the greatest
and most celebrated &Ulamas of that period. His high moral character, his
righteous ways had attracted to him universal esteem and consideration.
His science had won for him the glorious name of &Kashfi, that is to say, one
who discovers and explains the divine secrets. Brought up by him, his son
was not slow to equal him in every way and he enjoyed the public favor


+P22
bestowed on his father. When he went to &Tihran, he was preceded by his
fame and popularity. He became the regular guest of Prince &Tahmasp
&Mirza, &Mu'ayyadu'd-Dawlih, grandson of &Fath-'Ali &Shah by his father
&Muhammad-'Ali &Mirza. The government itself paid homage to his science
and to his merit and he was consulted more than once in trying circumstances.
It was of him that &Muhammad &Shahet &Haji &Mirza &Aqasi thought
when they wished to find an honest emissary whose faithfulness could not
be questioned." (A. L. M. Nicolas' "Siyyid &Ali-Muhammad dit le &Bab,"
p. 233.)
"While these events were taking place in the north of Persia, the central
and southern provinces were deeply roused by the fiery eloquence of the
missionaries of the new doctrine. The people, light, credulous, ignorant,
superstitious in the extreme, were struck dumb by the incessant miracles
which they heard related every moment; the anxious priests, feeling their
flock quivering with impatience and ready to escape their control, redoubled
their slanders and infamous imputations; the grossest lies, the
most bloody fictions were spread among the bewildered populace, torn
between horror and admiration.... Siyyid &Ja'far was unacquainted with
the doctrine of the &Shaykhis as he was with those of &Mulla &Sadra.
Nevertheless, his burning zeal and his ardent imagination had carried him,
towards the end of his life, out of the ways of the orthodox &Shiite. He
interpreted the `&hadiths' differently from his colleagues and claimed even,
so they said, to have fathomed the seventy inner meanings of the &Qur'an.
His son, who was to outdo these oddities, was at that time about thirty-five
years of age. After the completion of his studies, he came to &Tihran where
he became intimately associated with all that the court counted of great
personages and distinguished men. It was upon him that the choice of His
Majesty fell. He was, therefore, commissioned to go to &Shiraz to make
contact with the &Bab and to inform the central authority, as exactly as
possible, of the political consequences which would result from a reform
which seemed likely unsettle heart of the country." (A. L. M.
Nicolas' "Siyyid &Ali-Muhammad dit le &Bab," pp. 387-388.)

Page 175, Note 1
* * * "Within five hours' time he revealed two thousand verses, that
is, he spoke as fast as the scribe could write. One can judge thereby that,
if he had been left free, how many of his works from the beginning of his
manifestation until today would have been spread abroad among men."
("Le &Bayan Persan," vol. I, p. 43.)
"God had given him such power and such fluency of expression that, if
a scribe wrote with the most extreme rapidity during two days and two


+P23
nights without interruption, he would reveal, out of this mine of eloquence,
the equivalent of the &Qur'an." (Ibid., vol. 2, p. 132.)

Page 175, Note 2
"Certainly the fact of writing, currente calamo, a new commentary on a
&surih whose meaning is so obscure, should deeply astonish the Siyyid
&Yahya, but that which surprised him even more was to find, in this commentary,
the explanation that he, himself, had found in his meditation on
these three verses. Thus he found himself in agreement with the Reformer
in the interpretation that he had believed himself to be the only one to have
reached and that he had not made known to anyone." (A. L. M. Nicolas'
"Siyyid &Ali-Muhammad dit le &Bab," p. 234.)

Page 187, Note 2
"A bitter struggle broke out between the Muqaddas and &Karim &Khan
who, as it is known, had taken the rank of chief of the &Shaykhi sect, after
the death of &Kazim. The discussion took place in the presence of many
people and &Karim challenged his opponent to prove the truth of the mission
of the &Bab. `If you succeed,' he said to him, `I will be converted and my
pupils with me; but if you fail, I shall have it proclaimed in the bazaars:
"Behold the one who tramples under foot the Holy Law of &Islam!'" `I
know who you are, &Karim,' replied Muqaddas to him. `Do you not
remember your Master Siyyid &Kazim and that which he told you: "Dog,
do you not wish that I should die that, after me, may appear the absolute
truth?" Witness how today, urged on by your passion for riches and for
glory, you lie to yourself!'
"Begun in this vein, the discussion was bound to be brief. Instantly,
the pupils of &Karim drew their knives and threw themselves upon him who
was insulting their chief. Fortunately, the governor of the city interposed;
Muqaddas arrested and brought to his house where he kept him for
a while and, when the excitement had subsided, he sent him away by night,
escorted for several miles by ten mounted men." (A. L. M. Nicolas'
"Siyyid &Ali-Muhammad dit le &Bab," pp. 228-229.)

Page 193, Note 1
"Meanwhile the turmoil, the intense discussions, the scandal continued
in &Shiraz, so much so that, annoyed by all this uproar and fearful of the
outcome, &Haji &Mirza &Aqasi ordered &Husayn &Khan &Nizamu'd-Dawlih to be
done with the Reformer and to have him killed immediately and secretly."
(A. L. M. Nicolas' "Siyyid &Ali-Muhammad dit le &Bab," p. 235.)


+P24
Page 194, Note 1
"Extremely irritated, discontented and worried, the &Mullas of &Fars,
unable to foresee the heights that popular indignation against them might
reach were not the only ones to be perplexed. The authorities of the town
and of the province understood only too well that the people, who were
under their care but who were never very much under their control, this
time were quite independent of it. The men of &Shiraz, superficial, mockers,
noisome, quarrelsome, rebellious, insolent in the extreme, perfectly
indifferent toward the &Qajar dynasty, were never easy to govern and their
administrators often passed wearisome days. What then would be the
position of these administrators if the real chief of the city and of the
country, the arbiter of their thoughts, their idol, were to be a young man
who, undaunted, with no ties whatsoever, and no love of personal gain,
made a pedestal of his independence and took advantage of it by impudently
and publicly attacking every day all that which, until now, had
been considered as strong and respected in the city?
"In truth, the court, the government and its policies had not as yet
been the object of any of the violent denunciations of the Innovator, but,
in view of the fact that he was so rigid in his habits, so unrelenting against
intellectual dishonesty and the plundering practices of the clergy, it was
unlikely that he would approve the same rapaciousness so flagrant in the
public officials. One could well believe that the day when they would fall
under his scrutiny, he would not fail to see and violently condemn the
abuses which could no longer be concealed." (Comte de Gobineau's "Les
Religions et les Philosophies dans l'Asie Centrale," pp. 122-123.)

Page 196, Note 2
The &Bab refers to this incident in the "&Dala'il-i-Sab'ih" in the
following terms: "Recall the first days of the Manifestation, how many people
died of cholera! That was one of the wonders of the Manifestation yet no one
understood it. During four years the scourge raged among the &Muhammadan
&Shiites without anyone grasping its true significance." ("Le Livre
des Sept Preuves," translated by A. L. M. Nicolas, pp. 61-62.)


CHAPTER X

Page 207, Note 2
"&Muhammad having grown silent, &Mirza &Muhammad-Hasan, who
followed the philosophical doctrine of &Mulla &Sadra, questioned the &Bab in


+P25
order to induce him to explain three miracles which it would suffice to
relate in order to enlighten the reader. The first one was the &Tiyyu'l-Ard,
or the immediate transfer of a human being from one part of the world to
another very distant point. The &Shiites are convinced that the third
&Imam, &Javad, had adopted this easy and economical way of traveling.
For example, he betook himself, in the twinkling of an eye, from Medina in
Arabia to &Tus in &Khurasan.
"The second miracle was the multiple and simultaneous presence of the
same person in many different places. &Ali was, at the same moment, host
to sixty different people.
"The third miracle was a problem of cosmography which I submit to
our astronomers who will certainly relish it. It is said that, during the
reign of a tyrant, the heavens revolve rapidly, while during that of an
&Imam they revolve slowly. First, how could the heavens have two movements
and then, what were they doing during the reign of the &Umayyads
and the Abbassids? It was the solution of these insanities that they proposed
to the &Bab!
"I shall not dwell on them any longer but I believe I must here make
clear the mentality of the learned Moslems of Persia. And if one should
consider that, for nearly one thousand years, the science of &Iran rests upon
such trash, that men exhaust themselves in continuous research upon such
matters, one will easily understand the emptiness and arrogance of all these
minds.
"Be that as it may, the reunion was interrupted by the announcement
of dinner of which each one partook, after which they returned to their
respective homes." (A. L. M. Nicolas' "Siyyid &Ali-Muhammad dit le
&Bab," pp. 239-240.)

Page 211, Note 2
"Thus this room (in which I find myself) which has neither doors nor
definite limits, is today the highest of the dwellings of Paradise, for the
Tree of Truth lives herein. It would seem that all the atoms of the room,
all sing in one voice, `In truth, I am God! There is no other God beside
Me, the Lord of all things.' And they sing above all the rooms of the earth,
even above those adorned with mirrors of gold. If, however, the Tree of
Truth abides in one of these ornamented rooms, then the atoms of their
mirrors sing that song as did and do the atoms of the mirrors of the Palace
&Sadri, for in the days of &Sad (&Isfahan) he abided therein." ("Le &Bayan
Persan," vol. 1, p. 128.)


+P26
Page 212, Note 1
"On the fourth of March, 1847, Monsieur de Bonniere wrote to the
Secretary of Foreign Affairs of France: `&Mu'tamidu'd-Dawlih, governor
of &Isfahan, has just died leaving a fortune appraised at forty million
francs.'" (A. L. M. Nicolas' "Siyyid &Ali-Muhammad dit le &Bab," p. 242,
note 192.)

Page 215, Note 3
"The &Shah, whimsical and fickle, forgetting that he had, a short time
before, ordered the murder of the Reformer, felt the desire of seeing, at
last, the man who aroused such universal interest; he therefore gave the
order to &Gurgin &Khan to send the &Bab to him in &Tihran." (A. L. M.
Nicolas' "Siyyid &Ali-Muhammad dit le &Bab," p. 242.)


CHAPTER XII

Page 227, Note 1
"As the order of the prime minister &Haji &Mirza &Aqasi became generally
known, it was impossible to carry it out. From &Isfahan to &Tihran, everyone
spoke of the iniquity of the clergy and of the government towards the
&Bab; everywhere the people muttered and exclaimed against such an
injustice." (Journal Asiatique, 1866, tome 7, p. 355.)

Page 229-230, Note 2
"&Muhammad &Shah," writes Gobineau, "was a prince of peculiar
temperament, a type often seen in Asia but not often discovered or understood
by Europeans. Although he reigned during a period when political
practices were rather harsh, he was kind and patient and his tolerance
extended even to the discords of his harem which were of such a nature as
normally to cause grave annoyance; for, even in the days of &Fath-'Ali &Shah,
the laisser-aller, the whims and fancies were never carried to such an
extreme. The following words which our 18th century might recognize as
its own are attributed to him: `Why are you not more discreet, Madam?
I do not wish to hinder you from enjoying yourself.'
"But, in his case, it was not affected indifference, but fatigue and
boredom. His health had always been wretched; seriously ill with gout, he
was hardly ever free from pain. His disposition naturally weak, had become
very melancholy and, as he craved love and could not find it in his
family either with his wives or children, he had centered all his affection


+P27
upon the aged &Mulla, his tutor. He had made of him his only friend, his
confidant, then his first and all-powerful minister, even his god! Brought
up by this idol with very irreverent sentiments toward &Islam, he was
equally as indifferent toward the dogmas of the Prophet as toward the
Prophet himself. He cared little for the &Imams and, if he had any regard
for &Ali, it is because the Persian mind is wont to identify this venerable
personage with the nation itself.
"But in brief, &Muhammad &Shah was no better &Muhammadan than he
was Christian or Jew. He believed that the Divine Essence incarnates
Itself in the Sages with all Its power, and, as he considered &Haji &Mirza
&Aqasi a Sage par excellence, he felt certain that he was God and he would
piously ask him to perform miracles. Often he said to his officers with
earnestness and conviction, `The &Haji has promised me a miracle for tonight,
you shall see!' As long as the character of the &Haji was not involved,
&Muhammad &Shah was completely indifferent regarding the success
or failure of this or that religious doctrine; he was rather pleased to witness
the conflict of opinions which were proof to him of the universal blindness."
(Comte de Gobineau's "Les Religions et les Philosophies dans l'Asie Centrale,'
pp. 131-132.)

Page 230, Note 1
* * * "&Ali-Muhammad wrote personally to the Court and his letter and
the accusations of his adversaries all arrived at the same time. Without
assuming an aggressive attitude toward the king, but trusting on the
contrary to his authority and justice, he represented to them that the
depravity of the clergy in Persia had been well known for many years; 0
that not only morals were thereby corrupted and the well-being of the
nation affected, but that religion itself, poisoned by the sins of so many,
was in great danger and was about to disappear leaving the people in
perilous darkness.
"As for himself, called by God, in virtue of a special mission, to prevent
such an evil, he had already begun to apprise the people of &Fars that the
true doctrine had made evident and rapid progress; that all its adversaries
had been confounded and were now powerless and universally despised;
but that this was only a beginning.
"The &Bab, confident of the magnanimity of the king, requested the
permission to come to the capital with his principal disciples and there hold
conferences with all the &Mullas of the Empire, in the presence of the
Sovereign, the nobles and the people, convinced that he would shame them
by exposing their faithlessness. He would accept beforehand the judgment
of the king and, in case of failure, was ready to sacrifice his head and that


+P28
of each one of his followers." (Comte de Gobineau's "Les Religions et les
Philosophies dans l'Asie Centrale," p. 124.)

Page 231, Note 2
* * * "As for the &Haji, he was a very special kind of god. It was not
absolutely certain that he did himself believe that of which the &Shah was
convinced. In any case, he preferred the same general principles as the
King and he had taught them to him in good faith. He could nevertheless
be a buffoon; jesting was the policy, the rule of his conduct and of his life.
He pretended to take nothing seriously, not even himself.
"`I am not a prime minister,' he often said, especially to those whom
he mistreated; `I am an old &Mulla of humble birth and without merit
and, if I find myself in this high office, it is because it is the wish of the
King.'
"He never referred to his sons without calling them `sons of hussies and
sons of dogs.' It is in these terms that he enquired of them or sent them
orders by his officers, when they were away. His greatest delight was to
pass in review units of cavalry in which he would assemble, in their most
gorgeous trappings, all the nomad &Khans of Persia. When these warlike
tribes were gathered in the valley, the &Haji would appear, dressed like a
beggar, with a threadbare and shapeless cap, a sword dangling awkwardly
at his side and riding a small donkey. Then he would draw up the horsemen
about him, call them fools, make fun of their attire, show their worthlessness,
and then send them home with presents; for his sarcasm was
always tempered with generosity." (Comte de Gobineau's "Les Religions
et les Philosophies dans l'Asie Centrale," pp. 132-133.)

Page 231-232, Note 3
"An anecdote shows the real motive of the prime minister in the
suggestions he made to the &Shah concerning the &Bab. The Prince &Farhad
&Mirza, still young, was the pupil of &Haji &Mirza &Aqasi. The latter related
the following story:
"When His Majesty, after consulting the prime minister, had written to
the &Bab to betake himself to &Mah-Ku, we went with &Haji &Mirza &Aqasi to
spend a few days at &Yaft-Abad, in the neighborhood of &Tihran, in the park
which he had created there. I was very desirous of questioning my master
regarding the recent happenings but I feared to do so publicly. One day,
while I was walking with him in the garden and he was in a good humor,
I made bold to ask him: "&Haji, why have you sent the &Bab to &Mah-Ku?"
He replied,--"You are still too young to understand certain things, but
know that had he come to &Tihran. you and I would not be, at this moment,


+P29
walking free from care in this cool shade."'" (A. L. M. Nicolas' "Siyyid
&Ali-Muhammad dit le &Bab," pp. 243-244) * * *

Page 232, Note 2
"Nevertheless, on this occasion, his expectations did not materialize.
Fearing that the presence of the &Bab in &Tihran would occasion new
disturbances (there were plenty of them due to his whims and his poor
administration), he altered his plans and the escort, charged to take the &Bab
from &Isfahan to &Tihran, received, when about thirty kilometers from the
city, the order to take the prisoner directly to &Mah-Ku. This town, in the
mind of the prime minister, would offer nothing to the impostor because its
inhabitants, out of gratitude for the favors and protection they had received
from him, would take steps to suppress any disturbances which might
break out." (Journal Asiatique, 1866, tome 7, p. 356.)

Page 234, Note 2
Gobineau writes regarding his fall: "&Haji &Mirza &Aqasi, robbed of the
power which he had constantly ridiculed, had retired to &Karbila and he
spent his remaining days playing tricks on the &Mullas and scoffing even at
the holy martyrs." ("Les Religions et les Philosophies dans l'Asie Centrale,"
p. 160.)
"This shrewd man had gained such power over the late &Shah that one
could truly say that the minister was the real sovereign; he could not
therefore survive the loss of his good fortune. At the death of &Muhammad
&Shah, he had disappeared and had gone to &Karbila where, under the protection
of the sainted &Imam, even a state criminal could find an inviolable
asylum. He was soon overcome by gnawing grief which, more than his
remorse; shortened his life." (Journal Asiatique, 1866, tome 7, pp. 367-368.)

Page 239, Note 2
"The success of this energetic man, &Mulla &Yusuf-i-Ardibili, was so great
and so swift that, at the very gates of Tauris (&Tabriz), the inhabitants of
this populous village acknowledged him as their leader and took the name of
&Babi's. Needless to say that, in the town itself, the &Babi's were quite
numerous, even though the government was taking steps to convict the
&Bab, to punish him and thereby justify itself in the eyes of the people."
(Journal Asiatique, 1866, tome 7, pp. 357-358.)


+P30
CHAPTER XIII

Page 244, Note 2
"He dwells in a mountain of which the inhabitants could not even
pronounce the name `Jannat' (Paradise) which is an Arabic word; how
then could they understand its meaning? Imagine then what can happen
in the matter of the essential truths!" ("Le &Bayan Persan," vol. 4, p. 14.)

Page 244, Note 3
"The country of the first minister on the &Adhirbayjan frontier, this
village was lifted out of obscurity under the administration of this minister
and many citizens of &Mah-Ku were raised to the highest offices in the state,
because of their slavish attitude toward &Haji &Mirza &Aqasi." (Journal
Asiatique, 1866, tome 7, p. 356, note 1.)

Pages 245-246, Note 1
"The &Bab himself tells us how he spent his days in the prison in which
he was held captive. His lamentations, so frequent in the &Bayan, were,
I believe, due to the discipline which, from time to time, grew more severe at
the command from &Tihran. All the historians, in fact, &Babis as well as
Moslem, tell us that in spite of the strict orders to keep the &Bab from
communicating with the outer world, the &Bab received great numbers of
disciples and strangers in his prison. (The author of &Mutanabbiyyin
writes: `The &Babis from all parts of the earth went to &Adhirbayjan on a
pilgrimage to their chief.')
"`Oh! How great is your blindness, O my children ! That which you
do, you do believing to please me! And in spite of these verses which
prove my being, these verses which flow from my power, the treasure of
which is the very being of this personage (the &Bab), in spite of these verses
which come from his lips only by my permission, behold that, without any
right whatsoever, you have placed him on the summit of a mountain whose
inhabitants are not even worthy of mention. Close to him, which is close
to me, there is no one except one of the Letters of the Living of my book.
In his hands, which are my hands, there is not even a servant to light the
lamp at night. And behold! The men who are upon the earth have been
created only for his own existence: it is through his good will that has
come all their joy and they do not give him even a light!' (&Unite 2,
porte 1.)
"`The fruit of the religion of &Islam is faith in the Manifestation (of
the &Bab) and behold they imprison him in &Mah-Ku!' (&Unite 2, porte 7.)


+P31
`All that belongs to the divinely Chosen One is in heaven. This solitary
room (wherein I am) which has not even a door, is today the greatest of the
gardens of Paradise, for the Tree of Truth is planted herein. All the atoms
of which it is composed cry out, "In truth, there is no other God but God,
and there is no other God beside me, the Lord of the Universe!"' (&Unite 2,
porte 16.)
"`The fruit of this door is that men, seeing that it is permitted to do
all that for the &Bayan (that is, spend so much money) which is only the
foreshadowing of Him whom God shall make manifest, must realize what
should be done for Him whom God shall make manifest, when he will
appear, so that he will be spared what is happening to me on this day.
That is to say, that there are throughout the world many &Qur'ans worth
thousands of &tumans, while He who has showered verses (the &Bab) is
imprisoned on a mountain, in a room built of bricks baked in the sun.
And, notwithstanding, that room is the Arch itself (9th heaven, the abode
of Divinity). Let this be an example to the &Bayanis so that they may not
act toward Him as the believers in the &Qur'an have acted toward me.'
(Unite 3, porte 19.)" (A. L. M. Nicolas' "Siyyid &Ali-Muhammad dit le
&Bab," pp. 365-367.)
"All believe in Him, and still they have imprisoned him on a mountain!
All are made glad in Him and they have abandoned him! No fire is
fiercer for those who have acted thus than their very works; likewise for
the believers no heaven is higher than their own faith!" ("Le &Bayan
Persan," vol. 1, pp. 126-127.)

Page 248, Note 1
* * * "Behold, that about one hundred thousand lines similar to these
verses have been scattered among men not to mention the prayers and
questions of science and philosophy." ("Le &Bayan Persan," vol. 1, p. 43.)
"Consider also the Point of the &Bayan. Those who are familiar with it
know how great its importance was before the manifestation; but thereafter,
and although it has revealed more than five hundred thousand verses
upon diverse subjects, attacks are made upon it which are so violent that
no writer would wish to relate them." ("Le &Bayan Persan," vol. 3, p. 113.)
* * *

Pages 248-251, Note 3
"It is always in the same line of thought that when imprisoned in
&Mah-Ku he addressed a long letter to the &Shah (&Muhammad &Shah) which
we are about to analyze here. The document begins like nearly all the
literary documents of the &Bab with exalted praise of Divine Unity. The


+P32
&Bab continues in praising, as is fitting, &Muhammad, the twelve &Imams,
who, as we shall see in the second volume of this work, are cornerstones of
the &Bayan edifice. `I affirm,' he exclaims, `that everything which is in this
world of possibilities other than they, is, in comparison, as absolute
nothingness, and if one could express it at all, all that is but a shadow of a
shadow. I ask God to pardon me for assigning to them such limits. In truth,
the highest degree of praise which one can confer upon them is to confess in
their very presence that it is impossible to praise them....
"`This is why God has created me out of a clay from which no one else
has been created. And God has given me what the learned, with all their
science, are unable to understand, what no one can know unless he be completely
humbled before my revelation.... Know then in truth, I am
a pillar of the first word; whosoever knows that first word has known
God wholly, and has entered into the universal good. Whosoever has
refused to know it has remained in ignorance of God and has entered into
the universal evil.
"`I take God as witness, the Master of the two worlds, he who here
below lives as long as nature permits and remains all his life the servant of
God in all the works prescribed by true religion, if he entertains in his heart
any enmity towards me, even so little that God alone might be aware of it,
he is useless and God will prepare for him a punishment; he will be among
those destined to die. God has determined the good which is implied in
obedience to me, and all the evil which follows disobedience to my commands.
In truth, today I see all that I have just said; I see the children
of my love, the obedient ones in the highest heaven, while my enemies
are thrust into the depths of eternal fire!
"`By my life, I swear, if I had not been obliged to accept the station
of the &Hujjat of God, I would not have warned you!'...
"It is evident that the &Bab re-states his affirmations made in the
&Kitab-i-baynu'i-Haramayn without addition or retraction. `I am,' he says,
`the Point from which all being flows. I am that Face of God which never
dies! I am that Light which is never extinguished! He who knows me is
accompanied with all good, he who rejects me is pursued by evil. In truth,
when Moses besought God that he might gaze upon Him, God radiated upon the
mountain and as the &hadith explains, "this light, I solemnly affirm was
my light." Do you not see that the numerical value of the letters which
make up my name is equal to the value of those which compose the word
Rabb (Lord)? But has not God said in the &Qur'an, "And when your Rabb
radiates upon the mountain"?'
"The &Bab continues with a study of the prophecies contained in the
&Qur'an and in some of the &hadiths concerning the manifestation of the


+P33
&Mihdi. He relates the celebrated &hadith of &Mufaddal which is one of the
strongest arguments in favor of the truth of his mission.
"It is said in the &Qur'an, chapter 32, verse 4: `From the heaven to the
earth, He governeth all things; hereafter shall they come up to Him on a
day whose length shall be a thousand of such years as ye reckon.' (Note:
J. M. Rodwell's translation.)
"On the other hand, the last &Imam disappeared in the year 260 of the
Hegira; it is at that time that the prophetic manifestation is completed
and that `The door of science is closed.' But &Mufaddal questioned the
&Imam &Sadiq as to the signs of the coming of the &Mihdi and the &Imam
answered: `He will appear in the year sixty and his name will be glorified.'
This means in the year 1260 which is precisely the year of the manifestation
of the &Bab.
"On this subject Siyyid &Ali-Muhammad said: `I declare before God
I have never been taught and my education has been that of a merchant.
In the year sixty, I felt my heart filled with potent verses, with true
knowledge and with the testimony of God and I proclaimed my mission that
very year.... That same year I sent you a messenger (&Mulla
&Husayn-i-Bushru'i) carrying a Book, so that the government might fulfill its
duty towards the &Hujjat. But the will of God being that civil war should
break out which would deafen the ears of men, blind their eyes and crush their
hardened hearts, the messenger was not permitted to reach you. Those
who considered themselves patriots intervened and, even today, after a
lapse of four years, no one has told you the truth regarding this occurrence.
And now as my time is near and my work is not human but divine, I have
written briefly to you.
"`If you could know how during these four years your officials and
delegates have treated me! If you knew, the fear of God would choke
you unless you would decide immediately to obey the &Hujjat and make
amends for the harm done.
"`I was in &Shiraz and I suffered from this evil and accursed governor
such tyrannies that, if you knew even the least of them, your sense of justice
would exact revenge, because his cruelty has drawn the punishment of
heaven even unto the judgment day on the entire empire. This man,
very proud and always inebriated, never gave an intelligent order. I was
forced to leave &Shiraz and was on my way to visit you in &Tihran, but the
late &Mu'tamidu'd-Dawlih understood my mission and did what respect for
God's elect demands. The ignorant of the city started an uprising and I,
therefore, hid myself in the Palace of &Sadr until the death of
&Mu'tamidu'd-Dawlih. May God reward him! There is no doubt that his salvation
from eternal fire is due to what he has done for me. Then &Gurgin forced


+P34
me to travel during seven nights with five other men, exposed to every
discomfort and brutality and deprived of every necessity. At last, the
&Sultan ordered that I should be taken to &Mah-Ku without even providing
me with a mount. I finally reached that village whose inhabitants are
ignorant and coarse. I affirm before God, if you knew in what place
I dwell, you would be the first to pity me. It is a dungeon on a mountain
top and I owe that to your kindness! My companions are two men and
four dogs. Imagine how I spend my days! I thank God as He should be
thanked, and I declare before God that he who has thus imprisoned me is
satisfied with himself. And if he only knew who it is he has so treated he
would never again taste happiness!
"`And now I reveal a secret to you! This man in imprisoning me has
imprisoned all of the prophets, all the saints and him who is filled with
divine wisdom. There is no sin which has not brought me affliction.
When I learned of your command (to take me to &Mah-Ku) I wrote to
&Sadr-i-A'zam: "Kill me and send my head wherever you please, because
to live without sin among sinners does not please me." He did not reply
and I am convinced that he did not understand the matter, because to
sadden without reason the hearts of the believers is worse than to destroy
the very house of God; but I declare that it is I who am today the house
of God! Reward comes to him who is good to me; it is as though he were
good to God, to His angels and to His saints. But perhaps God and His
saints are too high above us for the good or evil of men to reach their
threshold, but what happens to God, happens to me. I declare before
God that he who has imprisoned me has imprisoned himself; only that
which is the will of God can happen to me. Woe to him whose hand
works evil! Blessed is he who scatters good!
"`At last, to sum up this letter already too long: The late &Mu'tamid,
one night, dismissed all his guests to retire, even &Haji &Mulla &Ahmad, and
then he said to me: "I know very well that all I have acquired has been
obtained through force and all that I have belongs to the &Sahibu'z-Zaman.
I therefore give it all to thee, thou art the Master of Truth and I ask of
thee the privilege of ownership." He even took the ring off his finger
and gave it to me. I took it and gave it back to him and I sent him away
in possession of all his goods. God is witness of the truth of this
testimony. I do not wish for a &dinar of his wealth, that is for you to
dispose of; but as, in any dispute, God requires the testimony of two
witnesses, from the midst of all the learned, call Siyyid &Yahya and &Akhund
&Mulla &Abdu'l-Khaliq. They will show you and will explain my verses and the
truth of my testimony will appear.
"`Of these two personages, one knew me before the manifestation,


+P35
the other afterward; I have chosen them because they both know me
well!'
"The letter ends with cabalistic proofs and some &hadiths. It is clear
therefore that the &Bab was very unhappy in his prison. He evidently
remained there a long time, as the document which we have quoted dates
back to 1264, and the execution of the martyr took place only on the
twenty-seventh of &Sha'ban of the year 1266 (July 8, 1850)." (A. L. M.
Nicolas' "Siyyid &Ali-Muhammad dit le &Bab," pp. 367-373.)

Page 249, Note 1
This is the prayer which the &Bab Himself quotes in the
"&Dalia'il-i-Sab'ih" as His supplication during the months of His captivity in
the castle of &Mah-Ku:

"O my God! Grant to him, to his descendants, to his family, to his
friends, to his subjects, to his relatives and all the inhabitants of the earth
the light which will clarify their vision and facilitate their task; grant that
they may partake of the noblest works here and hereafter!
"In truth, nothing is impossible to Thee.
"O my God! give him the power to bring about a revival of Thy religion
and give life by him to what Thou hast changed in Thy Book. Manifest
through him Thy new commandments so that through him Thy religion
may blossom again! Put into his hands a new Book, pure and holy, that
this Book may be free from all doubt and uncertainty and that no one may
be able to alter or destroy it.
"O my God! Dispel through Thy splendor all darkness and through
his evident power do away with the antiquated laws. By his preeminence
ruin those who have not followed the ways of God. Through him destroy
all tyrants, put an end, through his sword, to all discord; annihilate, through
his justice, all forms of oppression; render the rulers obedient to his
commandments; subordinate all the empires of the world to his empire!
"O my God! Humble everyone who desires to humble him; destroy
all his enemies; deny anyone who denies him and confuse anyone who
spurns the truth, resists his orders, endeavors to darken his light and blot
his name!"

The &Bab then adds these words:

"Repeat these benedictions often and, if time to recite them all be
lacking, do not fail to say at least the last. Be awake on the day of the
apparition of Him whom God will manifest because this prayer has come
down from heaven for Him, although I hope no sorrow awaits Him; I have
taught the believers in my religion never to rejoice over the misfortune of
anyone. It is possible therefore that at the time of the appearance of the
Sun of Truth no suffering may fall upon Him." ("Le Livre des Sept
Preuves," translation of A. L. M. Nicolas, pp. 64-65.)


+P36
Page 252, Note 2
"During his sojourn in &Mah-Ku, the &Bab composed a great number of
works amongst the most important of which may be especially mentioned
the Persian &Bayan and the Seven Proofs, (&Dala'il-i-Sab'ih) both of which
contain ample internal evidence of having been written at this period.
Indeed, if we may credit a statement made in the &Tarikh-i-Jadid, on the
authority of &Mirza &Abdu'l-Vahhab, the various writings of the &Bab, current
in &Tabriz alone, amounted in all to not less than a million verses!" ("A
Traveller's Narrative" Note L, p. 200.)
Regarding the "&Dala'il-i-Sab'ih," Nicolas writes as follows: "`The Book
of Seven Proofs' is the most important of the polemical works from the pen
of Siyyid &Ali-Muhammad, dit le &Bab." (Preface, page 1.)
"His correspondent evidently asked him for the proofs of his mission
and his answer is admirable for its precision and clearness. It rests upon
two verses of the &Qur'an; according to the first, no one can reveal verses
even though assisted by the entire world of men and evil spirits; according
to the second, no one can understand the meaning of the verses of the
&Qur'an except God, and men of solid learning." (Preface, p. 5.)
"Clearly the arguments of the &Bab are new and original and one can
see, by this brief reference, of what profound interest must be his literary
work. The scope of my work does not permit me to expound, even briefly,
the principal dogmas of a bold doctrine the form of which is both brilliant
and attractive. I hope to do so in the future but I wish to make another
comment upon the `Book of the Seven Proofs': toward the end of his
book, the &Bab speaks of the miracles which have accompanied his
manifestation. This will probably astonish the readers, as we have seen the
new apostle deny clearly the truth of the physical miracles which the
&Muhammadan imagination attributes to &Muhammad. He affirms that, for himself
as well as for the Arabian Prophet, the only proof of his mission was the
outpouring of the verses. He offers no other proof, not because he is
unable to perform miracles, (God being all-powerful) but simply because
physical marvels are of inferior order in comparison with spiritual miracles."
(Preface, pp. 12-13.) ("Le Livre des Sept Preuves," translation by A. L. M.
Nicolas.)

Pages 253-254, Note 1
"The province had been for some years the scene of serious uprisings.
At the end of 1844 or at the beginning of 1845, the governor of &Bujnurd
had revolted against the authority of the &Shah and had made an alliance
with the Turkomans against Persia. The Prince &Asifu'd-Dawlih, governor
of &Khurasan, asked the capital for assistance. The general &Khan &Baba


+P37
&Khan, commander-in-chief of the Persian army, was ordered to send a
thousand men against the rebels but the scarcity of public funds prevented
the expedition. The &Shah, therefore, planned to head personally a campaign
in the spring. The preparations began immediately. Soon ten
battalions, of one thousand men each, were ready awaiting the arrival of
Prince &Hamzih &Mirza, appointed general-in-chief of the expedition. All
of a sudden, the governor of &Khurasan, &Asifu'd-Dawlih, brother of the King's
mother, feeling that his security was threatened by the suspicions of the
authorities at &Tihran, arrived at the Court humbly to protest at the feet of
the King and to assure him of his complete devotion, and demand that his
defamers be punished.
"It so happened that the principal one among his adversaries was &Haji
&Mirza &Aqasi, the all-powerful prime minister. A long trial took place
which ended with the defeat of the governor and he was ordered to go on a
pilgrimage to Mecca with the mother of the King.
"The son of &Asifu'd-Dawlih, &Salar, guardian of the mosque at &Mashhad,
wealthy in his own right, confident because of his alliance with the
chief Kurd, &Ja'far-Quli &Khan, &Ilkhahni of the tribe of &Qajar, assumed a
hostile attitude. Thereupon 3000 men and 12 pieces of artillery were sent
in retaliation and the government of &Khurasan was given into the hands of
&Hamzih &Mirza.
"The news that &Ja'far-Quli &Khan, heading a large troop of cavalry, had
attacked the royal expedition, caused five more regiments and eighteen
additional field pieces to be sent. On the twenty-eighth of October, 1847,
this uprising was completely crushed, through the victory of &Shah-rud
(September 15) and the defeat and flight of &Ja'far-Quli-Khan and of &Salar."
(A. L. M. Nicolas' "Siyyid &Ali-Muhammad dit le &Bab," pp. 257-258.)

Pages 254-255, Note 1
"&Mashhad is the greatest place of pilgrimage in all Persia, &Karbila
being, as everyone knows in Ottoman territory. It is in &Mashhad that
the holy shrine of the &Imam &Rida is located. I shall not enlarge upon the
hundreds of miracles that have taken place and still take place at this
shrine; it is enough to know that every year thousands of pilgrims visit the
tomb and return home only after the shrewd exploiters of that productive
business have separated them from their last penny. The stream of gold
flows on and on for the benefit of the greedy officials; but these officials
need the cooperation of many partners to catch their innumerable dupes
in their nets. This is, without doubt, the best organized industry in
Persia. If one half of the city derives its living from the Mosque, the
other half is likewise keenly interested in the great concourse of pilgrims.


+P38
The merchants, the restaurant and hotel keepers, even the young women
who find among the visitors an abundant supply of `husbands for a day'!
"All these people were naturally allied against a missionary whose
teachings were threatening their livelihood. To denounce these abuses in
any other city was tolerable but it was quite improper to denounce them
where everyone of every class was thriving upon them. The &Imam &Mihdi
had undoubtedly the right to come but he certainly was a public nuisance.
It may have been very thrilling to undertake with him the conquest of the
world, but there was fatigue, risk and danger in the enterprise while now
they were enjoying perfect peace in a fine city where one could earn a
living with ease and security." (Ibid., pp. 258-259.)

Page 259, Note 1
In the "&Dala'il-i-Sab'ih," the &Bab reveals the following: "The &hadith
`&Adhirbayjan' referring to this matter says: `The things which will happen
in &Adhirbayjan are necessary for us, nothing can prevent their occurrence.
Remain therefore in your homes, but if you hear that an agitator has
appeared then hasten towards him.' And the &hadith continues, saying:
`Woe to the Arabs, for the civil war is near!' If, in speaking these last
words, the Prophet had intended to refer to his own mission, his statement
would have been vain and worthless." ("The Book of Seven Proofs,"
Nicolas' translation, p. 47.)


CHAPTER XV

Page 268, Note 1
"It will surprise no one to learn," writes Clement Huart, "that the new
sect spread more rapidly in &Khurasan than it had anywhere else. &Khurasan
has been singularly fortunate in that she has always offered to new
ideas the most propitious field. It is out of this province that came many
evolutions which caused fundamental changes in the &Muhammadan
Orient. It is enough to recall that in &Khurasan the idea of the Persian
renovation originated after the Arabian conquest. It was there likewise
that the army was organized which, under the orders of &Abu-Muslim
placed the Abbassides upon the throne of the &Khalifs by overthrowing the
aristocracy of Mecca which had occupied it since the accession of the
Umayyads." ("La Religion de &Bab," pp. 18-19.)

Page 270, Note 1
"It was in her own family that she heard, for the first time, of the
preaching of the &Bab at &Shiraz and learned the meaning of his doctrines.


+P39
This knowledge, even incomplete and imperfect as it was, pleased her
extremely; she began to correspond with the &Bab and soon espoused all
his ideas. She did not content herself with a passive sympathy but confessed
openly the faith of her Master. She denounced not only polygamy
but the use of the veil and showed her face uncovered in public to the great
amazement and scandal of her family and of all the sincere Mussulmans but
to the applause of many other fellow citizens who shared her enthusiasm
and whose numbers grew as a result of her preaching. Her uncle the
doctor, her father the jurist, and her husband tried in every way to bring
her back at least to a conduct more calm and more reserved. She rebuffed
them with arguments inspired by a faith incapable of placid resignation."
(Comte de Gobineau's "Les Religions et les Philosophies dans l'Asie Centrale,"
pp. 137-138.)

Page 275, Note 2
"How could it be that a woman, in Persia where woman is considered
so weak a creature, and above all in a city like &Qazvin, where the clergy
possessed so great an influence, where the &Ulamas, by their number and
importance attracted the attention of the government and of the people,--
how could it be that there, precisely under such untoward circumstances,
a woman could have organized so strong a group of heretics? There lies
a question which puzzles even the Persian historian, Sipihr, for such an
occurrence was without precedent!" (Journal Asiatique, 1866, tome 7,
p. 474.)


CHAPTER XVI

Page 294, Note 2
"But the effect produced had been astounding! The assembly was as
if struck by lightning. Some hid their faces with their hands, others,
prostrated themselves, others covered their heads with their garments so
that they could not see the features of her Highness, the Pure One. If it
was a grievous sin to look upon the face of an unknown woman who might
pass by, what a crime to let one's eyes fall upon her who was so saintly!
The meeting was broken up in the midst of an indescribable tumult. Insults
fell upon her whom they thought so indecent as to appear thus with
her face uncovered. Some armed that she had lost her mind, others that
she was shameless, and some, very few, took up her defense." (A. L. M.
Nicolas' "Siyyid &Ali-Muhammad dit le &Bab," pp. 283-284.)


+P40
CHAPTER XVII

Page 302, Note 2
"There like everywhere else, the people crowded around him. M.
Mochenin says in his memoirs concerning the &Bab: `In the month of June,
1850, (is this not more likely to be 1849?), having gone to &Chihriq on duty, I
saw the &Bala-Khanih from the heights of which the &Bab taught his doctrine.
The multitude of hearers was so great that the court was not large
enough to hold them all; most of them stayed in the streets and listened
with religious rapture to the verses of the new &Qur'an. Very soon after
the &Bab was transferred to Tauris (&Tabriz) to be condemned to death.'"
(Journal Asiatique, 1866, tome 7, p. 371.)


CHAPTER XVIII

Page 314, Note 1
Born July 17, 1831; began to reign September, 1848, died 1896. "This
Prince left &Tihran to return to his government the twenty-third of January,
1848. His father having died the fourth of September, he returned to
assume the title of &Shah on the eighteenth of September of the same year."
(A. L. M. Nicolas' "Siyyid &Ali-Muhammad dit le &Bab," p. 243, note 195.)

Page 319, Note 1
"If anyone should raise an objection to the grammar or syntax of these
verses, this objection is vain, because the rules of grammar should be taken
from the verses and not the verses written in compliance with the rules of
grammar. There is no doubt that the Master of these verses denied these
rules, denied that he, himself, was ever aware of them." ("Le &Bayan
Persan," vol. 1, pp. 45-46.)


CHAPTER XIX

Page 326, Note 1
"He (&Mulla &Husayn) arrived first at &Miyamay where he rejoined thirty
&Babis whose chief, &Mirza &Zaynu'l-'Abidin, pupil of the late &Shaykh
&Ahmad-i-Ahsa'i, was an elderly, pious and respected gentleman. His zeal was
so intense that he brought with him his son-in-law, a young man of eighteen
years, who had been married to his daughter only a few days. `Come,' he


+P41
said to him, `Come with me on my last journey. Come, because I must be
a true father to you and make you partake of the joy of salvation!'
"They departed therefore, and it was on foot that the aged man desired
to travel the road which was to lead him to martyrdom." (A. L. M. Nicolas'
"Siyyid &Ali-Muhammad dit le &Bab," p. 290.)

Page 326, Note 3
&Muhammad &Shah died on the eve of the sixth of &Shavval (September 4,
1848 A.D.). "There was an interregnum of about two months. A provisional
government was formed comprising four administrators under the
presidency of the widow of the deceased &Shah. Finally after much hesitation,
the lawful heir, the young Prince &Nasiri'd-Din &Mirza, governor of
&Adhirbayjan was permitted to ascend the throne." (Journal Asiatique,
1866, tome 7, p. 367.)

Page 330, Note 1
"The bullet struck Siyyid &Rida full in the chest and killed him
instantly. He was a man of pure and simple ways, of deep and sincere
convictions. Out of respect for his master he always walked alongside of his
horse ready to meet his every need." (A. L. M. Nicolas' "Siyyid &Ali-Muhammad
dit le &Bab," p. 294.)

Page 331, Note 1
"But the pain and the anger redoubled the strength of &Mulla &Husayn
who with one single blow of his weapon cut in two the gun, the man and
the tree." (&Mirza &Jani adds that the &Bushru'i used his left hand on this
occasion. The Mussulmans themselves do not question the authenticity
of this anecdote.) (A. L. M. Nicolas' "Siyyid &Ali-Muhammad dit le
&Bab," p. 295 and note 215.)

Page 337, Note 2
"`The &Babu'l-Bab,' says our author, `wishing to fulfill a religious duty
and at the same time to give an example of the firm conviction of the
believers, of their contempt for life, and to show the world the impiety and
irreligion of the so called Mussulmans, commanded one of his followers to
ascend the terrace and intone the &adhan.'" (A. L. M. Nicolas' "Siyyid
&Ali-Muhammad dit le &Bab," pp. 295-296.)

Page 338-339, Note 1
"&Sa'idu'l-'Ulama' wishing to have done at any cost, gathered together
as many people as he could and again began the attack in front of the


+P42
caravansary. The struggle had been waging from five to six days when
&Abbas-Quli &Khan &Sardar-i-Larijani appeared. In the meantime, and
since the outbreak of the conflict, the &Ulamas of &Barfurush exasperated by
the numerous conversions which &Quddus had been able to make in the city
(three hundred in a week, the &Muhammadan historians admit reluctantly),
referred the case to the governor of the province, Prince &Khanlan &Mirza.
He, however, paid no attention to their grievances, having many other
preoccupations.
"The death of &Muhammad &Shah worried him much more than the
wrangling of the &Mullas and he made ready to go to &Tihran to pay homage
to the new king, whose favor he hoped to win.
"Having failed in this attempt, under the pressure of events, the
&Ulamas wrote a very urgent letter to the military chief of the province,
&Abbas-Quli &Khan-i-Larijani. He however, thinking it unnecessary to
trouble himself, sent &Muhammad Bik, &Yavar (captain), at the head of
three hundred men, to restore order. Thus it was that the &Muhammadans
began to attack the caravansary. The struggle went on, but if ten &Babis
were killed, an infinitely larger number of aggressors bit the dust. As
things continued to drag along, &Abbas-Quli &Khan felt he should come
himself in order to size up the situation." (A. L. M. Nicolas' "Siyyid
&Ali-Muhammad dit le &Bab," pp. 296-297.)

Page 339, Note 1
Gobineau describes him in the following terms: "The Turkish and
Persian nomads pass their lives in hunting, often also in fighting and above
all in talking of the hunt and of war. They are brave but not always and
they are well described by &Branttome who, in his war experience had often
encountered that type of bravery which he called `one day courage.' But
this is what they are in a very regular and consistent manner, great talkers,
great wreckers of towns, great assassins of heroes, great exterminators of
multitudes, in a word, naive, very outspoken in their sentiments, very
violent in the expression of anything which arouses them and extremely
amusing. &Abbas-Quli &Khan-i-Larijani although well born, was a perfect
type of nomad." (Comte de Gobineau's "Les Religions et les Philosophies
dans l'Asie Centrale," p. 171.)

Page 343, Note 1
"Then turning to his companions he said: `During these few days of
life which remain to us, let us beware not to be divided and estranged by
perishable riches. Let all this be held in common and let everyone share
in its benefits.' The &Babis agreed with joy and it is this marvellous spirit


+P43
of self-sacrifice and this complete self-abnegation which made their
enemies say that they advocated collective ownership in earthly goods
and even women!" (A. L. M. Nicolas' "Siyyid &Ali-Muhammad dit le
&Bab," p. 299.)

Page 357, Note 1
"According to the descriptions which I have heard, the fortress erected
by &Mulla &Husayn soon became a very strong building. Its walls made of
large stones reached a height of ten meters. On this base, they raised a
construction made of enormous tree trunks in the middle of which they
arranged a number of loopholes; they then surrounded it entirely with a
deep ditch. In fact it was a kind of great tower having stones for the
foundation while the higher stories were of wood and provided with three
rows of loopholes where they could place as many &tufang-chis as they
wished, or rather, as they had. They made openings for many doors and
postern gates in order to facilitate entrance and exit.
"They dug wells, thus securing an abundance of water; underground
passages were excavated in order to provide refuge in case of need; storehouses
were built and filled with all sorts of provisions either bought, or
perhaps taken in the neighboring villages. Finally, they manned the
fortress with the most energetic &Babis, the most devoted, and the most
dependable available among them." (Comte de Gobineau's "Les Religions
et les Philosophies dans l'Asie Centrale," p. 156.)

Page 359, Note 1
"Thus frantic about the maintenance of order, the &Amir-Nizam disposed
quickly of the &Mazindaran question. When the leading men of this
province came to &Tihran to pay their respects to the king, they were
ordered, as they departed, to take necessary measures to put an end to the
sedition of the &Babis. They promised to do their best and in fact, as soon
as they returned, these chiefs began to gather their forces and to deliberate.
They wrote to their relations to come and join them. &Haji &Mustafa &Khan
called for his brother &Abdu'llah, &Abbas-Quli &Khan-i-Larijani sent for
&Muhammad-Sultan and &Ali-Khan of &Savad-Kuh. All of these worthies
decided to attack the &Babis in their fortress before they, themselves, could
assume the defensive. The royal officers, seeing the chiefs of the country
so willing, summoned a grand council to which hastened the lords already
mentioned and also &Mirza &Aqa, &Mustawfi of &Mazindaran, superintendent
of finances, the head of the &Ulamas and many other men of high standing."
(Ibid., pp. 160-161.)


+P44
Page 360, Note 2
"On his side, the superintendent of finances raised a troop amongst the
&Afghans domiciled at &Sari and added to it several men from the Turkish
tribes under his administration. &Ali-Abad, the village so severely punished
by the &Babis, which aspired to avenge itself, furnished what it could
and was reinforced by a party of men from &Qadi who, being in the neighborhood,
were willing to enlist." (Comte de Gobineau's "Les Religions et les
Philosophies dans l'Asie Centrale," p. 161.)

Page 363, Note 1
"The &Amir-Nizam grew violently angry at the news of what had
happened. The description of the terrors aroused his indignation. Too
far from the scene of action to appraise the wild enthusiasm of the rebels,
the only conclusion he could reach was that the &Babies should be done away
with before their courage could be further stimulated by real victories.
The Prince &Mihdi-Quli &Mirza, appointed lieutenant of the king in the
threatened province, left with a grant of extraordinary powers. Instructions
were given to draw up a list of the men who had died in the attack on
the &Babis' fortress and in the sacking of Ferra and pensions were promised
to the survivors.
"&Haji &Mustafa &Khan, brother of &Abdu'llah, received substantial tokens
of the royal favor; in a word, all that was possible was done to restore the
courage and confidence of the Mussulmans." (Comte de Gobineau's "Les
Religions et les Philosophies dans l'Asie Centrale," pp. 164-165.)

Page 366, Note 1
"We have left &Mihdi-Quli &Mirza running away from his burning home
and wandering alone in the country, in the snow and the darkness. Toward
dawn, he found himself in an unknown mountain pass, lost in a wild
country, but in reality only a short distance away from the slaughter of
battle. The wind brought to his ears the noise of the volleys of musketry.
"In this sad state, completely bewildered, he was met by a &Mazindarani,
mounted on a fairly good horse, who recognized him. This man dismounted,
placed the Prince on his horse and offered to serve him as guide.
He led him to a peasant's hut, settled him in the barn (this is not considered
a place to frown upon in Persia) and while the Prince slept and ate, the
&Mazindarani mounted his horse and, covering the country side, gave out
the glad tidings that the Prince was safe and well. Thus he brought to
him all his men, or at least a respectable number of them, one band after
another.


+P45
"If &Mihdi-Quli &Mirza had been one of those proud spirits not easily
broken by reverses, he would have considered his position only slightly
altered by the mishaps of the previous evening; he could have believed
that his men had been unfortunately surprised; then with the remainder
of his forces he would have saved appearances and held the ground, for in
fact, the &Babis had retreated and were out of sight. But the &Shahzadih,
far from priding himself on such firmness, was a weak character and, when
he saw himself so well guarded, he left the barn and hurried to the village of
&Qadi-Kala whence he reached &Sari in great haste. This conduct strengthened
in the whole province the impression caused by the defeat of &Vaskas.
Panic ensued, open towns believed themselves exposed to every danger and,
in spite of the rigor of the season, one could see caravans of non-combatants
in great distress, taking their wives and children to the desert of &Damavand
to save them from the miserable dangers which the cautious conduct of
&Shahzadih seemed to foretell. When the Asiatics lose their heads they
do so completely." (Comte de Gobineau's "Les Religions et les Philosophies
dans l'Asie Centrale," pp. 169-170.)

Page 366, Note 2
"In a few moments his army already in such confusion, was scattered
by the three hundred men of &Mulla &Husayn! Was not this the sword of the
Lord and of Gideon?" (Ibid., p. 167.)


CHAPTER XX

Page 378, Note 1
"Thus perplexed and not knowing which way to turn, &Shahzadih,
poor man, gave orders to gather together new soldiers and raise another
army. The population was not eager to serve under a chief whose worth
and intrepidity had not brilliantly stood the test. Nevertheless, by the
help of money and through promises, the &Mullas particularly, who did not
lose sight of their interests, and who had the most at stake, displayed such
zeal that in the end a fair number of &tufang-chis were assembled. As for
the mounted soldiers of the various tribes, from the moment their chiefs
mount their horses, they do likewise without even asking why.
"&Abbas-Quli &Khan-i-Larijani obeyed without hesitation the order to
send new recruits. This time however, either through distrust of a Prince
whose ineptitude might endanger the lives of his relatives and subjects, or


+P46
because ambitious to distinguish himself, he no longer gave anyone the
command of his forces. He led them himself by a daring move and, instead
of rejoining the royal army, he went straight on to attack the &Babis
in their refuge. Then he gave notice to the Prince that he had arrived at
the fortress of &Shaykh &Tabarsi and that he was besieging it. Besides, he
notified him that he had no need of assistance nor of support, that his forces
were more than adequate and that, if his royal highness would see for himself
how he, &Abbas-Quli &Khan-i-Larijani was about to treat the rebels, he
would be both honored and gratified." (Comte de Gobineau's "Les
Religions et les Philosophies dans l'Asie Centrale," pp. 170-171.)

Page 378, Note 2
"&Mihdi-Quli &Mirza could not pass for a bold warrior, as we have just
seen, but he substituted for an excessive intrepidity another quality very
useful to a general, he did not take literally the boastings of his
lieutenants. Therefore, fearing that ill might befall this impudent nomad, he
sent him reinforcements immediately. Thus departed in great haste &Muhsin
&Khan-i-Ashrafi with his cavalry, a troop of &Afghans, &Muhammad-Karim
&Khan-i-Ashrafi with some of the &tufang-chis of the town, and &Khalil &Khan of
&Savad-Kuh with the men of &Qadi-Kala." (Ibid., p. 171.)

Page 380, Note 1
"Although seriously wounded, the &Babi chief continued, nevertheless,
to give orders and to lead and stimulate his men until, seeing that little
more could be gained, he gave the signal to retreat, remaining himself with
the rear guard." (Comte de Gobineau's "Les Religions et les Philosophies
dans l'Asie Centrale," p. 174.)

Page 383, Note 1
..."At last," writes Gobineau, "he passed away. The new religion,
which found in him its first martyr, lost, in the same stroke, a man whose
moral strength and ability would have been of great value to it, had he
lived longer. The &Muhammadans naturally feel a hatred for the memory
of this leader, which is as deep as the love and veneration shown for him
by the &Babis. They can both justify their opposing sentiments. What is
certain is that &Mulla &Husayn-i-Bushru'i was the first to give to &Babism, in
the Persian empire, the status which a religious or political body acquires
in the eyes of the people only after it has demonstrated its warlike
strength." (Comte de Gobineau's "Les Religions et les Philosophies dans l'Asie
Centrale," p. 176.)


+P47
Page 386, Note 1
"This time the terror knew no bounds; throughout the province the
people, deeply aroused by the repeated defeats of &Islam, were beginning
to lean toward the new religion. The military leaders felt their authority
tottering, the religious chiefs saw their power over souls waning; the
situation was extremely critical and the least incident might place the
province completely under the influence of the Reformer." (A. L. M. Nicolas'
"Siyyid &Ali-Muhammad dit le &Bab," p. 315.)

Page 389, Note 1
"&Mihdi-Quli &Mirza was somewhat surprised. He felt deeply disappointed,
but what impressed him even more was that the &Sardar could
be considered as having been defeated as well as he, and this thought,
flattering to his self-love, brought him no little pleasure. Not only did he
no longer fear that one of his lieutenants might have won an enviable glory
in taking the fortress of the &Babis; but it was not he himself alone who had
failed; he had a companion in misfortune and a companion whom he would
succeed in proving responsible for the two defeats. Overjoyed he called
together his chiefs great and small and apprised them of the news,
deploring of course the tragic fate of the &Sardar and expressing the ardent
hope that this valiant soldier might be more fortunate in the future."
(Comte de Gobineau's "Les Religions et les Philosophies dans l'Asie Centrale,"
p. 179.)

Page 390, Note 2
"The Prince assigned to each one his post during the siege; he entrusted
&Haji &Khan &Nuri and &Mirza &Abdu'llah Navayy with the responsibility of
securing adequate supplies. As military leaders, he selected the &Sardar
&Abbas-Quli-i-Larijani, towards whom, since his recent failure, he
was showing more sympathy; then &Nasru'llah &Khan-i-Bandibi, another
chieftain, and &Mustafa &Khan from &Ashraf to whom he gave the command
of the brave &tufang-chis of that city and also the command of the &suritis.
Other lesser lords led the men of &Dudankih and &Bala-Rastaq as well as
several Turkish and Kurdish nomads who were not included in the bands of
the great chiefs. These nomads were entrusted with the special duty of
watching every move of the enemy. Past experience had convinced them
that they should be more vigilant in the future. Turks and Kurds were
given therefore the responsibility of following, night and day, the operations
of the enemy and to be ever on the alert in order to prevent possible
surprises." (Ibid., p. 181.)


+P48
Page 391, Note 1
"&Mihdi-Quli &Mirza, however, wished to combine recent strategy with
old military technique and ordered to be brought from &Tihran two cannon
and two mortars with the necessary ammunition. He also enlisted the
assistance of a man from &Hirat who had discovered an explosive substance
which could project flames to a distance of seven hundred meters and set
fire to anything combustible within that radius. A trial test was made and
it proved satisfactory; the burning material was shot out into the fort,
a conflagration started immediately and all the dwellings or shelters
whether of wood, of reeds or of straw, which the &Babis had erected, either
within the enclosure or upon the walls, were reduced to ashes.
"While this destruction went on, the bombs and bullets shot from the
mortars seriously damaged a building hastily erected by men who were
neither architects nor engineers and had never anticipated an artillery
attack. In a very short time, the outer defences of the fortress were
dismantled; nothing was left of them but fallen girders, smoked and burning
timbers, scattered stones." (Ibid., pp. 181-182.)

Page 391, Note 2
"After taking these precautions, they dug holes and trenches for the
use of the &tufang-chis who were ordered to shoot down any &Babis who
might appear. They built large towers as high as the various levels of the
fortress or even higher and, through a continuous plunging fire, they
rendered the circulation of the &Babis within their fort extremely dangerous.
It was a decided advantage for the besiegers, but, in a few days, the &Babi
chiefs, taking advantage of the long nights, raised their fortifications so
that their height exceeded that of the attacking towers of the enemy."
(Ibid., p. 181.)

Page 394, Note 1
"This state of affairs had lasted four months. The &Shah began to grow
impatient. The success of the &Babis aroused his anger which according to
the Persian historian he expressed thus: `We thought that our army would
go without hesitation through fire and water, that, fearless, it would fight
a lion or a whale, but we have sent it to fight a handful of weak and
defenseless men and it has achieved nothing! Do the notables of &Mazindaran
think that we approve of this delay? Is it their policy to allow this
conflagration to spread in order to magnify their importance in case they later
put an end to it? Very well, let them know that I shall act as though
&Allah had never created &Mazindaran and I shall exterminate its inhabitants


+P49
to the last man!" (A. L. M. Nicolas' "Siyyid &Ali-Muhammad dit le
&Bab," p. 322.)

Page 394, Note 2
"The siege had been going on for four months and had made no visible
progress. The old fortifications had been destroyed but, with indomitable
energy, the &Babis had built new ones and, night and day, they restored and
enlarged them. It was impossible to foresee the outcome of this situation,
the more so because, as I have already said, &Mazindaran was not the only
region in Persia where the devotees of the new Faith were giving evidence
of their zeal and their daring. The King and the prime minister, in their
anxiety, burst forth into abuse against their lieutenants. Not only did
they charge them with incompetence, in the most bitter terms, but they
threatened to extend to them the same treatment planned for the &Babis,
if a final settlement were not reached without delay. Thereupon, the
command was taken from &Mihdi-Quli &Mirza and given to the &Afshar
&Sulayman &Khan, a man of acknowledged firmness and of great influence,
not only in his own tribe, one of the noblest in Persia, but throughout the
military circles who knew him and held him in high esteem. He was given
the most rigorous orders." (Comte de Gobineau's "Les Religions et les
Philosophies dans l'Asie Centrale," pp. 183-184.)
..."Those who remained firm had already consumed not only all
their food supply, but such grass as they could find in the enclosure and
the bark of all the trees. There remained only the leather of their belts
and the scabbards of their swords. They had to resort to the expedient
recommended by the Spanish ambassador to the soldiers of the league
besieged in Paris; they ground the bones of the dead and made flour with
the dust thereof. At last, desperate, they were reduced to perpetrate a
sort of profanation. The horse of &Mulla &Husayn had died of the wounds
suffered during that fatal night which witnessed the death of its master.
The &Babis had buried it out of regard for their holy leader and a little of
the deep veneration which all felt for him hovered over the grave of the
poor animal. They held council and, deploring the necessity for such a
discussion, they debated the question whether extreme distress could justify
them to disinter the sacred charger and eat the remains. With deep sorrow,
they agreed that the deed was justifiable. They cooked the remains of the
horse with the flour made from the bones of the dead, they ate this strange
mixture and took up their guns once more!" (Ibid., pp 186-187.)


+P50
Page 399, Note 2
"This stark and desperate bravery, this unquenchable enthusiasm gave
grave concern to the leaders of the imperial army. Despairing to break
through the fortification after repeated defeats, they thought of resorting
to shrewdness. The Prince was naturally shrewd and &Sulayman &Khan-i-Afshar,
recently sent by the &Shah, was urging such a method, fearful that
longer delays might endanger his prestige and his life." (A. L. M.
Nicolas' "Siyyid &Ali-Muhammad dit le &Bab," p. 325.)

Page 403, Note 2
"All the fortifications constructed by the &Babis were razed to the ground
and even the ground was leveled to remove any evidences of the heroic
defense of those who had died for their Faith. They imagined that this
would silence history." (A. L. M. Nicolas' "Siyyid &Ali-Muhammad dit le
&Bab," p. 327.)

Page 403, Note 3
"They formed them in a line and made sport of cutting open their
stomachs. This amused them the more because, from the perforated
intestines, issued grass still undigested, striking evidence of the sufferings
they had endured and also of the faith that had sustained them. Some,
very few, succeeded in escaping into the forest." (Ibid.)

Page 404, Note 2
"It was then, says &Mirza &Jani, that &Islam gave a shameful exhibition
to the world. The victors, if they can be so called, wished to enjoy the
intoxication of their triumph. They bound in chains &Quddus, &Mirza
&Muhammad-Hasan &Khan, brother of the &Babu'l-Bab, &Akhund &Mulla
&Muhammad-Sadiq-i-Khurasani, &Mirza &Muhammad &Sadiq-i-Khurasani,
&Haji &Mirza &Hasan &Khurasani, &Shaykh &Ni'matu'llah-i-Amuli, &Haji
&Nasir-i-Qazvini, &Mulla &Yusuf-i-Ardibili, &Aqa Siyyid &Abdu'l-'Aim-i-Khu'i
and several others. These they placed at the center of the parade which
started out at the sound of the trumpets, and, every time they went through
an inhabited section, they struck them." (A. L. M. Nicolas' "Siyyid
&Ali-Muhammad dit le &Bab," pp. 327-328.)
"The cruelty went further still. If a few escaped death, having been
sold into slavery, others were tortured until they died. Those who found
kindly masters were &Akhund &Mulla &Muhammad-Sadiq-i-Khurasani,
&Mulla &Muhammad-i-Mahvalatiy-i-Dugh-Abadi, &Aqa Siyyid &Azim-i-Khu'i,
&Haji &Nasir-i-Qazvini, &Haji &Abdu'l-Majid-i-Nishaburi and &Mirza
&Husayn-i-Matavalliy-i-Qumi. Four &Babis suffered martyrdom at &Barfurush,


+P51
two were sent to &Amul; one of these was &Mulla &Ni'matu'llah-i-Amuli,
the other &Mirza &Muhammad-Baqir-i-Khurasaniy-i-Qa'ini, cousin
of our &Babi author.
"&Qa'ini lived previously at &Mashhad, on the avenue called
&Khiyaban-Bala, and his house, which had been named `&Babiyyih,' was the
rendezvous of the secretaries as well as the home for the co-religionists
journeying through. It is there that &Quddus and the &Babu'l-Bab sojourned on
their way to &Khurasan. Besides his religious knowledge, &Qa'ini was very
skillful with his hands and it was he who designed the fortifications of
&Shaykh-Tabarsi." (A. L. M. Nicolas' "Siyyid &Ali-Muhammad dit le &Bab,"
p. 329.)

Page 404, Note 3
"As to the other prisoners they were made to lie down on the ground
and the executioners cut open their stomachs. It was noticed that several
of these unfortunates had raw grass in their intestines. This massacre
completed, they found that there was still more to be done and they
assassinated the fugitives who had already been pardoned. There were
women and children and even fifty were not spared and their throats were
cut. It was indeed a full day with much killing and no risk!" (Comte de
Gobineau's "Les Religions et les Philosophies dans l'Asie Centrale,"
p. 189.)
"On his arrival at &Amul, &Mulla &Ni'matu'llah was tortured with ruthless
ferocity. Apparently, this scene threw &Qa'ini into a fit of rage. In any
case, when the executioner approached, &Qa'ini, breaking his bonds, jumped
upon him, snatched his sword and struck him with such violence that his
head rolled about fifteen feet away. The crowd rushed upon him but,
terrible in his strength, he mowed down all those who came within his
reach and they had finally to shoot him with a rifle in order to subdue him.
After his death, they found in his pocket a piece of roasted horse flesh
proof of the misery that he had endured for his faith !" (Ibid., pp.
329-330.)

Page 410, Note 1
"The &Babis call attention to the fact that shortly afterwards a strange
disease afflicted &Sa'idu'l-'Ulama'. In spite of the furs which he wore, in
spite of the fire which burned constantly in his room, he shivered with cold
yet, at the same time, his fever was so high, that nothing could quench his
intolerable thirst. He died, and his house, which was very beautiful, was
abandoned and finally crumbled into ruins. Little by little, the practice
grew of dumping refuse on the site where it had once so proudly stood.
This so impressed the &Mazindaranis that when they quarrel among themselves,


+P52
the final insult frequently is, `May thy house meet the same fate as
the house of &Sa'idu'l-'Ulama!'" (A. L. M. Nicolas' "Siyyid &Ali-Muhammad
dit le &Bab," p. 330.)

Page 413, Note 2
"He who knew &Quddus and who made the pilgrimage with him is the
one upon whom `eight unities' have passed and God honored him among
His angels in the heavens, because of the way in which he had withdrawn
himself from all and because he was without blame in the sight of God."
("Le &Bayan Persan," vol. 2, p. 164.)


CHAPTER XXI

Pages 458-459, Note 1
..."This eventful day brought to the &Bab more secret followers than
many sermons could have done. I have just said that the impression
created by the prodigious endurance of the martyrs was deep and lasting.
I have often heard repeated the story of that day by eye witnesses, by men
close to the government, some even important officials. From their
accounts, one might easily have believed that they were all &Babis, so great
was the admiration they felt for memories which were not to the honor of
&Islam, and so high was the esteem they entertained for the resourcefulness,
the hopes and the chances of success of the new doctrine." ("A Traveller's
Narrative," Note B, pp. 175-176.)

Page 464, Note 1
`While these developments were taking place in the north of Persia,
the provinces of the center and the south were deeply stirred by the
enthusiastic appeals of the missionaries of the new doctrine. The people--
light, credulous, ignorant, superstitious in the extreme--were dumbfounded
by the accounts of continuous miracles of which they heard every minute;
the &Mullas, deeply concerned, feeling that their wavering flock was ready
to escape their control, multiplied their slanders and defamation; the
grossest lies, the most cruel fictions were circulated among the bewildered
masses, divided between terror and admiration." (A. L. M. Nicolas'
"Siyyid &Ali-Muhammad dit le &Bab," p. 387.)


+P53
CHAPTER XXII

Page 467, Note 1
"Carried away by his zeal and overflowing with the love of God, he
was eager to reveal to Persia the glory and joy of the one eternal Truth.
`To love and to conceal one's secret is impossible,' says the poet; so our
Siyyid began to preach openly in the Mosques, in the streets, in the bazaars,
on the public squares, in a word, wherever he could find listeners. Such
an enthusiasm brought forth fruit and the conversions were numerous and
sincere. The &Mullas, deeply troubled, violently denounced the sacrilege to
the governor of the city." (A. L. M. Nicolas' "Siyyid &Ali-Muhammad
dit le &Bab," p. 390.)

Page 475, Note 2
"When &Aqa &Khan had verified the disappearance of the rebel, he gave a
sigh of relief. Besides, he felt that to pursue the fugitives would involve
some peril and that, therefore, it would be infinitely more practical, more
beneficial, more profitable and less dangerous to torture the &Babis, or those
presumed to be &Babis--provided that they were wealthy--who had remained
in the city. He sought out the most prosperous, ordered their
execution, and confiscated their possessions, avenging thus his outraged
religion, a matter perhaps of little concern to him, and filling his coffers,
which pleased him immensely." (A. L. M. Nicolas' "Siyyid &Ali-Muhammad
dit le &Bab," p. 391.)

Page 477, Note 1
"The &Nayrizis welcomed Siyyid &Yahya with the greatest enthusiasm.
Barely two days after his arrival, a large number came to see him by night
out of fear of the government, says the &Fars-Namih, and offered their
services, for they hated their rulers. Others, mostly residents of the
district of &Chinar-Sukhtih, were converted in great numbers. Their example
was contagious and soon the &Babis could count, in their midst, the &tullabs of
&Chinar-Sukhtih who numbered about one hundred, their chief &Haji &Shaykh
&Abdu'l-'Ali, father of the wife of Siyyid &Yahya, the late &Akhund &Mulla
&Abdu'l-Husayn, an aged gentleman well versed in religious literature,
&Akhund &Mulla &Baqir, &Pish-namaz of the district, &Mulla &Ali &Katib, another
&Mulla &Ali with his four brothers, and the &kad-khuda, and the &Rish-Safid,
and other citizens from the quarter called `&Bazar', such as the late &Mashhadi
&Mirza &Husayn called &Qutb, with all of his family and his relatives,
&Mirza &Abu'l-Qasim who was the nephew of the governor! &Haji &Muhammad-Taqi


+P54
surnamed &Ayyub and his son-in-law &Mirza &Husayn and many others
from the quarter of the Siyyid, and the son of &Mirza &Nawra, and &Mirza
&Ali-Rida, son of &Mirza &Husayn, and the son of &Haji &Ali, etc., etc. All
were converted, some at night in deadly fear, others openly and fearlessly."
(A. L. M. Nicolas' "Siyyid &Ali-Muhammad dit le &Bab," p. 393.)

Page 478-479, Note 2
"He ascended the pulpit and cried out: `Am I not he whom you have
always considered your shepherd and your guide? Have you not always
depended on my teaching for the direction of your conscience in the path
of salvation? Am I not he whose words of counsel you have always
obeyed? What has happened that you should treat me as though I were
your enemy and the enemy of your religion? What lawful deeds have
I forbidden? What illicit action have I permitted? With what impiety
can you charge me? Have I ever led you into error? And behold! That
because I have told you the truth, because I have loyally sought to instruct
you, I am oppressed and persecuted! My heart burns with love for you
and you persecute me! Remember! Remember well, whosoever saddens
me, saddens my ancestor &Muhammad, the glorious Prophet, and whosoever
helps me, helps him also. In the name of all that is sacred to you
let all those who love the Prophet follow me!'" (A. L. M. Nicolas' "Siyyid
&Ali-Muhammad dit le &Bab," p. 395.)

Page 485, Note 1
The author of &Nasikhu't &Tavarikh affirms without the least sorrow
that the imperial troops were poorly trained and not at all eager to fight,
so, with no thought of attacking, they established a camp which they
hastened to fortify immediately." (A. L. M. Nicolas' "Siyyid &Ali-Muhammad
dit le &Bab," p. 401.)

Page 488, Note 1
"Although the losses were almost even this time, the imperial troops
were none-the-less frightened; things were dragging on and might moreover
end in the general confusion of the Mussulmans, so they resolved to resort
to deceit." (A. L. M. Nicolas' "Siyyid &Ali-Muhammad dit le &Bab,"
p. 403.)

Page 494, Note 1
"He took hold of the green belt of &Yahya, symbol of his holy ancestry,
tied it in a knot about his neck and began to drag him on the ground.


+P55
Then came &Safar whose brother &Sha'ban had fallen during the war, then
&Aqa &Jan, son of &Ali-Asghar &Khan, brother of &Zaynu'l-'Abidin &Khan, and
the &Muhammadans, aroused by the scene, stoned and beat to death the
unfortunate man. They then severed the head, tore off the skin, stuffed
it with straw and sent that trophy to &Shiraz!" (A. L. M. Nicolas' "Siyyid
&Ali-Muhammad dit le &Bab," p. 406.)

Page 495, Note 2
&Baha'u'llah refers to him as "that unique and peerless figure of his
age." (The "&Kitab-i-Iqan," p. 188.) The &Bab, in the "&Dala'il-i-Sab'ih,"
refers to him in the following terms: `Behold again the number of the name of
God (Siyyid &Yahya)! This man was living a holy, peaceful life in such a way
that no one could deny his talents or his sanctity, all admired his greatness
in the sciences and the heights he had attained in philosophy. Refer to
the commentary of the &Suratu'l-Kawthar (&Qur'an: S. 108) and to the
other treatises written for him, which prove how high a place he occupies
in the sight of God!'" ("Le Livre des Sept Preuves," translated by A. L.
M. Nicolas, pp. 54-55.)

Pages 495-496, Note 3
..."This day was a fete day, so an eye witness tells us. The inhabitants
were scattered about through the countryside, bringing with them
their food and many among them drinking, on the sly, whole bottles of
wine. The air was filled with musical strains, the songs of musicians, the
screaming and laughter of the lewd women. The bazaars were adorned
with flags joy was general. Suddenly there was absolute silence. They
saw coming thirty-two camels, each carrying an unfortunate prisoner, a
woman or a child, bound and thrown crosswise over the saddle like a bundle.
All around them were soldiers carrying long lances and upon each lance
was impaled the head of a &Babi who had been slain at &Nayriz. The hideousness
of the sight deeply affected the holiday population of &Shiraz and
they returned, saddened, to their dwellings.
"The horrible caravan passed through the bazaars and continued to the
palace of the governor. This personage was in his garden where he had
gathered in his kiosk (called &Kulah-i-Farangi) the rich, the eminent citizens
of &Shiraz. The music ceased, the dancing stopped and &Muhammad-'Ali-Khan
as well as &Mirza &Na'im, two small tribal chiefs who had taken part
in the campaign, came to tell of their brave deeds and to name one by one
the prisoners." (A. L. M. Nicolas' "Siyyid &Ali-Muhammad dit le &Bab,"
p. 407.)


+P56
Page 496, Note 1
"It would seem, alas, that all this bloodshed would have been sufficient
to appease the hatred and the lust of the &Muhammadans. Not at all!
&Mirza &Zaynu'l-'Abidin &Khan, finding himself threatened with a desire for
revenge on those he had betrayed and vanquished, gave neither truce nor
rest to the surviving ones of the sect. His hatred knew no bounds and it
was to last as long as he lived. It was actually the very poor that had been
sent to &Shiraz, the rich had been kept back. &Zaynu'l-'Abidin &Khan had
entrusted them to a guard who was ordered to walk them through the city
beating them as they went. The people of &Nayriz were greatly entertained
that time. They hung the &Babi's by four nails and everyone came to gloat
over their anguish. They placed burning weeds under the nails of these
unfortunate martyrs, they branded them with hot irons, they deprived
them of bread and water, they cut holes through their noses, and running
through them a cord they led them as one would a bear!" (Ibid., p. 408.)

Page 498, Note 1
"&Aqa Siyyid &Ja'far-i-Yazdi saw the executioners burn his turban and
then they took him from door to door making him beg for money." (A. L.
M. Nicolas' "Siyyid &Ali-Muhammad dit le &Bab," p. 408.)

Page 499, Note 1
"&Aqa Siyyid &Abu-Talib, who was very wealthy, was bound with chains
and sent by the governor of &Nayriz to &Ma'dan, and there poisoned by
&Haji &Mirza &Nasir, the same man who had ordered the &Bab to kiss the hand
of &Shaykh &Abu-Turab. Two &Babi women, rather than be taken prisoners,
threw themselves in a well and perished. Some &Babi's, eager to see &Mirza
&Zaynu'l-'Abidin &Khan punished, started for &Tihran to protest to his
Majesty against the atrocities which had been committed. They were but
two or three stations away from the capital and, after the fatigue of the
journey, were enjoying a little rest, when a caravan of &Shirazi people went
by and recognized them. They were all arrested except &Zaynu'l-'Abidin
who succeeded in reaching &Tihran. The others were taken to &Shiraz where
the Prince immediately ordered them executed, and so these men, &Karbila'i
&Abu'l-Hasan, a dealer in crockery, &Aqa &Shaykh &Hadi, uncle of the wife of
&Vahid, &Mirza &Ali and &Abu'l-Qasim-ibn-i-Haji-Zayna, &Akbar-ibn-i-'Abid,
&Mirza &Hasan and his brother &Mirza &Baba all died for their faith at this
time. (Ibid., pp. 408-409.)


+P57
CHAPTER XXIII

Page 501, Note 1
"It was only too well known that &Babi's were to be found everywhere.
Persia was full of them and, if the minds concerned about transcendental
questions, if the philosophers in search of new formulas, if the bruised souls
shocked by the injustices and weaknesses of the present day--had given
themselves up eagerly to the thought and to the promises of a new and
more satisfactory world order, one could properly think that the turbulent
imaginations eager for action, even at the price of failure, the brave and
militant hearts, and finally the daring and ambitious would easily be
tempted to throw themselves in with an army which revealed itself so well
supplied with soldiers fit to constitute dauntless battalions.
"&Mirza &Taqi &Khan, cursing the laxity with which his predecessor &Haji
&Mirza &Aqasi had allowed so great a peril to grow, realized that this weak
policy should not continue and decided to destroy the evil to its very roots.
He became convinced that the main cause was the &Bab himself, father of
all the doctrines which were arousing the people, and he decided to remove
that cause." (Comte de Gobineau's "Les Religions et les Philosophies
dans l'Asie Centrale," pp. 210-11.)

Pages 501-502, Note 2
"In the meantime, &Haji &Mirza &Taqi resolved to strike at the very head
of this monster of &Babism and he imagined that, after such a blow which
would definitely remove the instigator of that agitation and silence his
appeal, the old order would be restored. Nevertheless, strange phenomenon
in an Asiatic government, and especially in a statesmen like &Mirza
&Taqi &Khan who could indulge in excessive severity without scruple, this
minister did not order the death of the reformer! He thought that the
most effective way to destroy him was to ruin him morally; to bring him
out of his retreat in &Chihriq where a halo of suffering, holiness, science and
eloquence made him radiate like a sun; to show him to the people just as
he was--that is to say, just as he thought he was--was the best way to
render him harmless by destroying his prestige.
"He was picturing him as a vulgar charlatan, a weak dreamer who did
not have courage enough to conceive, still less to direct the daring
enterprises of his three apostles, or even to take part in them. Such a man,
taken to &Tihran and brought face to face with the most subtle dialecticians
of &Islam, could not but surrender shamefully. His influence would vanish
the more rapidly than if while destroying his body, one allowed to linger


+P58
in the minds of the people the phantom of a superiority which death would
have consecrated. It was therefore decided to arrest him and bring him
to &Tihran and, on the way, to exhibit him publicly in chains and humiliated;
to make him debate everywhere with the &Mullas, silencing him
whenever he would become too audacious; briefly, to engage him in a series
of unequal encounters in which he would inevitably meet defeat, as he
would have been previously demoralized and heartbroken. It was a lion
that they were eager to unnerve, hold in chains and strip of claws and
teeth, then turn him over to the dogs to show how easily they could overpower
him. Once defeated, his ultimate fate was of little importance.
"This plan was not devoid of sense, but it rested upon premises which
were far from proven. It was not enough to imagine that the &Bab was
without courage and firmness, it was necessary that he be really so. But
his conduct in the fort of &Chihriq gave no such evidence. He prayed and
worked unceasingly. His meekness was unfailing. Those who came near
him felt in spite of themselves the fascinating influence of his personality,
of his manner and of his speech. His guards were not free from that weakness.
He (the &Bab) felt that his death was near and he would frequently
refer to it as to a thought that was not only familiar but even pleasant.
Suppose, for a moment, that thus exhibited throughout Persia he would
still remain undaunted? Suppose he would display neither arrogance nor
fear but would rise far above his misfortune? Suppose that he succeeded
in throwing into confusion the learned, subtle, and eloquent doctors arraigned
against him? Suppose he would remain more than ever the &Bab
for his old followers and become so for the indifferent and even for his
enemies? It was risking much in order to gain much, without doubt, but
also perhaps to lose much and, after having weighed the matter with care,
they dared not take the chance." (Comte de Gobineau's "Les Religions
et les Philosophies dans l'Asie Centrale," pp. 211-213.)

Page 504, Note 1
"The prime minister, having summoned &Sulayman &Khan, the &Afshar,
asked him to carry to &Tabriz, to the Prince &Hamzih &Mirza, governor of
&Adhirbayjan, the order to take the &Bab out of the fort of &Chihriq and to
imprison him in the citadel of &Tabriz where he would later be apprised of
his fate." (Comte de Gobineau's "Les Religions et les Philosophies dans
l'Asie Centrale," p. 213.)

Page 508, Note 2
"On the following day, early in the morning, the people of &Hamzih
&Mirza, having opened the doors of the prison, brought out the &Bab and his


+P59
disciples. They made sure that the irons which they had around their
necks and on their wrists were secure; they tied to the iron collar of each
one a long cord the end of which was held by a &farrash. Then, so that
everyone could see them well and recognize them, they walked them about
the town, through the streets and the bazaars, overwhelming them with
blows and insults. The crowd filled the streets and the people climbed
upon each others' shoulders better to see this man who was so much talked
about. The &Babi's, scattered in all directions, were trying to arouse among
some of the onlookers a little pity or some feeling of sympathy which might
have helped them to save their Master. The indifferent ones, the philosophers,

the &Shaykhis, the &Sufis, turned away from the sight with disgust
and returned to their houses, or on the contrary waited for the &Bab at a
street corner and simply watched him with silent curiosity. The tattered
crowd, restless and excitable, flung insulting words at the three martyrs,
but they were all ready to change their minds with any sudden change of
circumstances.
"Finally, the victorious &Muhammadans pursued the prisoners with
insults, tried to break through the guard in order to strike them in the face
or on the head and when they succeeded, or when a missile thrown by some
child would strike the &Bab or one of his companions in the face, the guard
and the crowd would burst into laughter." (Comte de Gobineau's "Les
Religions et les Philosophies dans l'Asie Centrale," p. 220.)

Page 512, Note 1
"The &Bab remained silent. His pale handsome face framed by a black
beard and small mustache, his appearance and his refined manners, his
white and delicate hands, his simple but very neat garments--everything
about him awakened sympathy and compassion." (Journal Asiatique,
1866. tome 7, p. 378.)

Page 513, Note 1
"An intense clamor arose from the crowd at this moment as the onlookers
saw the &Bab freed from his bonds advancing towards them. Amazing
to believe, the bullets had not struck the condemned but, on the contrary,
had broken his bonds and he was delivered. It was a real miracle
and God alone knows what would have happened without the fidelity and


+P60
calm of the Christian regiment on this occurrence. The soldiers in order
to quiet the excitement of the crowd which, being extremely agitated, was
ready to believe the claims of a religion which thus demonstrated its truth,
showed the cords broken by the bullets, implying that no miracle had really
taken place. At the same time, they seized the &Bab and tied him again to
the fatal post. This time the execution was effective. &Muhammadan
justice and ecclesiastical law had asserted themselves. But the crowd,
vividly impressed by the spectacle they had witnessed, dispersed slowly,
hardly convinced that the &Bab was a criminal. After all his crime was
only a crime for the legalists and the world is indulgent toward crimes
which it does not understand." (M.C. Huart's "La Religion du &Bab,"
pp. 3-4.)
"An extraordinary thing happened, unique in the annals of the history
of humanity: the bullets cut the cords that held the &Bab and he fell on his
feet without a scratch." (A. L. M. Nicolas' "Siyyid &Ali-Muhammad dit
le &Bab," p. 375.)
"By a strange coincidence, the bullet only touched the cords which
bound the &Bab, they were broken and he felt himself free. Uproar and
shouts arose on all sides, no one understanding at first what it was all
about." (Ibid., p. 379.)

Page 514-516, Note 2
..."Christians believe that if Jesus Christ had wished to come
down from the cross he could have done so easily; he died of his own free
will because it was written that he should and in order that the prophecies
might be fulfilled. The same is true of the &Bab, so the &Babi's say, who, in
this way, gave a clear sanction to his teachings. He likewise died voluntarily
because his death was to be the salvation of humanity. Who will
ever tell us the words that the &Bab uttered in the midst of the unprecedented
turmoil which broke out as he ascended? Who will ever know
the memories which stirred his noble soul? Who will reveal to us the
secret of that death.... The sight of the baseness, the vices, the deceptions
of that clergy shocked his pure and sincere soul: he felt the need of a
thorough reform in public morals and he undoubtedly hesitated more than
once, at the thought of a revolution, which seemed unavoidable, to free the
bodies as well as the minds from the yoke of brutishness and violence which
weighed upon all Persia for the selfish benefit of a minority ... of pleasure
lovers, and to the greatest shame of the true religion of the Prophet. He
must have been much perplexed, deeply anxious, and he stood in need of
the triple shield of which Horace speaks, to throw himself headlong into
that ocean of superstition and hatred which was fatally to engulf him. His


+P61
life is one of the most magnificent examples of courage which it has been
the privilege of mankind to behold, and it is also an admirable proof of the
love which our hero felt for his fellow countrymen. 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.
More than anyone he knew what dreadful dangers he was heaping upon himself.
He had been able to see personally the degree of exasperation that a
fanaticism, shrewdly aroused, could reach; but all these considerations could
not weaken his resolve. 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. Nicolas' "Siyyid &Ali-Muhammad, dit le &Bab,"
pp. 203-204, 376.)
"The head of the new religion was dead and, according to the provisions
of the prime minister, the minds of the people would now be at peace and
there was no room for further anxiety, at least from that source. But such
political wisdom was baffled and, instead of appeasing the flames, it had
fanned them into greater violence."
"We shall see shortly, when I shall examine the religious dogmas
preached by the &Bab, that the perpetuity of the sect did not in the least
depend upon his physical presence; all could proceed and grow without
him. If the premier had been aware of this fundamental trait of the hostile
religion, it is not likely that he would have been so eager to do away with
a man whose existence, after all, would not have had any more significance
than his death." (Comte de Gobineau's "Les Religions et les Philosophies
dans l'Asie Centrale," pp. 224-225.)

Page 519, Note 1
"Following an immemorial custom of the Orient, usage exemplified at
the siege of &Bethulie as well as at the tomb of our Lord, the sentinel is a
soldier who sleeps, to his heart's content, at the post which he is expected
to guard." (Comte de Gobineau's "Les Religions et les Philosophies dans
l'Asie Centrale," p. 166.) "We have been able to see throughout this
history what the Persian guards are; their functions consist principally in
sleeping by the trust that they are given to watch over." (A. L. M.
Nicolas' "Siyyid &Ali-Muhammad dit le &Bab," p. 378.)

Page 519, Note 2
"M. de Gobineau, in agreement with the authors of the &Nasikhu't-Tavarikh,
of &Rawdatu's-Safa, of &Mir'atu'l-Buldan, in a word with all the


+P62
official historians, relates that after the execution the body of the &Bab was
thrown in a moat of the city and devoured by dogs. In reality it was not
so, and we shall see why this news had been spread by the authorities of
&Tabriz (little eager to draw upon themselves a rebuke of the government
for a favor dearly sold) and by the &Babi's, desirous to prevent any further
investigation by the police. The most reliable testimony of the actual
witnesses of the drama or of its actors do not leave me any doubt that the
body of Siyyid &Ali-Muhammad was carried away by pious hands and, at
last, after various incidents which I shall narrate, received a burial worthy
of him." (Ibid., p. 377.)

Page 526, Note 2
"Every one knew that the &Babis had foretold the death of the prime
minister and predicted the manner of his going. It happened precisely,
it is said, as the martyrs of &Zanjan, &Mirza &Rida, &Haji &Muhammad-'Ali and
&Haji &Muhsin had announced. Fallen into disgrace and pursued by the
royal hatred, his veins were slashed open in the village of &Fin, near &Kashan,
as the veins of his victims had been slashed. His successor was &Mirza
&Aqa &Khan-i-Nuri of a noble tribe of &Mazindaran, and erstwhile minister of
war. This new official took the title of &Sadr-i-A'zam which is the privilege
of the grand viziers of the Ottoman Empire. This occurred in 1852.
(Comte de Gobineau's "Les Religions et les Philosophies dans l'Asie Centrale,"
p. 230.)


CHAPTER XXIV

Page 527, Note 1
&Zanjan is the capital of the district of &Khamsih. "&Khamsih is a small
province to the east of &Kaflan-Kuh or Mountain of the Tiger, between
&Iraq and &Adhirbayjan. Its capital, &Zanjan, is a beautiful city surrounded
by an embattled wall fortified with towers like all Persian cities. The
inhabitants are of the Turkish race and the Persian language is seldom
spoken, unless it be by government employees. The surrounding country
is studded with villages which are fairly prosperous. Powerful tribes visit
them, especially in the winter and spring." (Ibid., p. 191.)

Page 529, Note 2
"There lived in that city a mujtahid called &Mulla
&Muhammad-'Aliy-i-Zanjani. He was a native of &Mazindaran and studied under a
celebrated master. Dignified with the title of &Sharifu'l-'Ulama,
&Muhammad-'Ali


+P63
had concentrated his attention on dogmatic theology and jurisprudence,
and had become famous. The &Muhammadans affirm that, in his function
as mujtahid, he showed himself restless and turbulent. No question ever
seemed to him either sufficiently studied or properly solved. His repeated
&fatvas disconcerted the conscience and confused the practices of the
faithful. Eager for change, he was neither tolerant in discussion nor moderate
in debate. Sometimes he would unduly prolong the fast of &Ramadan for
reasons which no one had advanced before; sometimes he would alter the
ritual of prayer in quite a novel way. He became obnoxious to the peaceful
and odious to the traditionalists. But it is also admitted that he counted
many followers who considered him a saint, prized his zeal, and put their
faith in him. An impartial judge could recognize in him one of the
&Muhammadans who are only so in appearance, but urged on by a living faith and
an abundant religious zeal for which they are eager to find a scope. His
misfortune was that he found, or thought he found, a natural use for his
powers in the overthrow of traditions whose minor significance did not
justify such a disturbance." (Comte de Gobineau's "Les Religions et les
Philosophies dans l'Asie Centrale," pp. 191-192.)

Page 529, Note 4
"Among the &Ulamas of the city was a man called &Akhund &Mulla
&Abdu'r-Rahim renowned for his piety. He had a son who lived in Najaf
and at &Karbila where he attended the lectures of the celebrated
&Sharifu'l-'Ulamay-i-Mazindarani. This young man was of a restless nature and
rather impatient with the narrowness of &Shi'ism." (A. L. M. Nicolas'
"Siyyid &Ali-Muhammad dit le &Bab," p. 332.)

Page 530, Note 1
"On his way back from the Holy Land he stopped at &Hamadan where
the citizens welcomed him cordially and entreated him to remain." (A. L.
M. Nicolas' "Siyyid &Ali-Muhammad dit le &Bab," p. 336.)

Page 530, Note 2
"All the &Ulamas of the city called on him and left concerned over the
few words which he had spoken and which revealed quite a novel turn of
mind. Indeed the attitude of the newcomer very quickly proved to these
pious men that their conjectures were well founded." (Ibid.)

Page 530, Note 3
"There was a caravansary of the days of &Shah-'Abbas which had gradually
become a &sighih-khanih: in order to prevent a breach of the Shiite


+P64
law a certain &Mulla &Dust-Muhammad who made his residence there, would
bless the transitory union between the male visitors to the place and the
inmates. &Hujjatu'l-Islam, such was the title which our hero had assumed,
ordered the institution to be closed, gave in marriage the greater number
of these women and secured employment for the others in respectable
families. He also caused a wine dealer to be whipped and his house to be
torn down." (Ibid., pp. 332-333.)

Page 530, Note 4
"But this was the limit of his activity. Always troubled with the
problems raised by a religion founded upon &hadiths which were frequently
contradictory, he perplexed the conscience of the faithful by peculiar &fatvas
which upset old traditions. Thus he restored the &hadith according to
which &Muhammad would have said: The month of &Ramadan is always
full.' Without investigating the origin of that tradition, without enquiring
whether those who had related it were worthy of faith, he commanded that
it should be literally obeyed, thus inducing his hearers to fast on the day of
&Fitr which is held to be a grievous sin. He also permitted that prostrations
be made at prayer time by resting the head upon a crystal stone. All
these innovations won for him a large number of partisans who admired
his science and his activity; but they displeased the official clergy whose
hatred, further augmented by anxiety, soon knew no bounds." (Ibid.,
p. 333.)

Page 532, Note 1
"&Hujjat came and, by his courtesy and his captivating personality,
soon won over all those who came in contact with him, even His Majesty.
One day, so the story goes, he was in the palace of the &Shah with several of
his colleagues, when one of them, an &Ulama of &Kashan, brought out a
document and besought the king to sign it. It was a royal decree granting
certain stipends. &Hujjat rose up and bitterly denounced a clergy who
begged pensions from the government. He had recourse to the &hadiths
and to the &Qur'an to show how shameful was such a practice which had
originated with the &Bani-Umayyih. His colleagues were beside themselves
with anger, but the &Shah, pleased with such frankness, presented our hero
with a staff and a ring and authorized him to return to &Zanjan." (A. L. M.
Nicolas' "Siyyid &Ali-Muhammad dit le &Bab," pp. 373-374.)

Page 532, Note 2
"The inhabitants of &Zanjan came in crowds to meet him and offered
sacrifices of oxen, chickens and sheep. Twelve children, each twelve years


+P65
of age, with red kerchiefs about their necks to show their readiness to
sacrifice their all, were in the center of the &cortege. It proved a triumphal
entry." (Ibid., p. 334.)

Page 532, Note 3
"He transformed his disciples into models of virtue and temperance;
henceforth the men quenched their thirst at the fountains of spiritual life.
They fasted during three months, lengthened their prayers by adding to
them daily the invocation of &Ja'far-i-Tayyar, performing once a day their
ablutions with the water of the Qur (legal measure of purity) and finally on
Fridays they crowded the Mosques." (Ibid., p. 334.)

Page 533, Note 1
"Finally, he uttered in a clear voice the Friday prayer which must be
said instead of the habitual daily one said when the &Imam comes. He
then expounded several sayings of the &Bab and concluded thus: `The goal
for which the world has been striving is now here, free from veils and
obstacles. The sun of Truth has risen and the lights of imagination and
imitation have been extinguished. Fix your eyes upon the &Bab, not upon
me, the least of his slaves. My wisdom compared to his is as an unlighted
candle to the sun at midday. Know God by God and the sun by
its rays. So, today has appeared the &Sahibu'z-Zaman. The Sultan of
Possibilities is living.' Needless to say, these words made a deep impression
upon the audience. Nearly all accepted this message and conversed among
themselves regarding the true nature of the &Bab." (Ibid., p. 335.)

Page 533, Note 2
"The conversion of &Mulla &Muhammad-'Ali and his numerous partisans
had in fact exhausted the patience of the &Imam-Jum'ih and of
&Shaykhu'l-Islam. They wrote indignant letters to His Majesty who in reply
gave orders for the arrest of the offender." (Ibid., p. 336.)

Page 539, Note 1
"He was in &Tihran until the day when, after the death of &Muhammad
&Shah, &Nasir'd-Din &Mirza now &Nasiri'd-Din &Shah, appointed as governor
of &Zanjan, one of his uncles, &Amir &Arslan &Khan &Majdu'd-Dawlih, who was
&Ishiq &Aghasi of the palace." (A. L. M. Nicolas' "Siyyid &Ali-Muhammad
dit le &Bab," p. 337.)

Page 540, Note 1
"He made a triumphant entry into his native city. Now that he was
a &Babi, to his old friends were added the believers in the new doctrine. A


+P66
large number of men, rich and respected, soldiers, merchants, even &Mullas
came to meet him, at a distance of one or two stations away, and conducted
him home, not as an exile who returns, not as a suppliant who asks only
rest, not even as a rival strong enough to demand respect, but he entered
as a master." (Comte de Gobineau's "Les Religions et les Philosophies
dans l'Asie Centrale," p. 193.)
"The author of `&Nasikhu't-Tavarikh' himself acknowledged that a
goodly number of citizens of &Zanjan, and among them high officials, traveled
the distance of two stations to meet him. He was received like a conqueror
and many heads of sheep were sacrificed in his honor. None of his opponents
dared ask him why he had left &Tihran and had returned to &Zanjan;
but &Islam was severely tried as the &Zanjanis did not hesitate to preach
throughout the city the new doctrine. The &Muhammadan writer points
out that all the &Zanjanis were simple-minded and so fell easily into the
snare; but contradicting himself he declares that only the knaves, greedy
for worldly possessions, and the impious ones gathered round the
new leader. However they were quite numerous and, according to
his story, about fifteen thousand, which seems rather an exaggerated
estimate." (A. L. M. Nicolas' "Siyyid &Ali-Muhammad dit le &Bab,"
pp. 337-338.)

Page 540, Note 2
"&Majdu'd-Dawlih, governor of the city, a cruel, heartless and severe
man, enraged at the news of the return of so troublesome a person as
&Hujjat, ordered that &Muhammad Big be whipped and that the tongue of
&Karbila'i &Vali be cut out." (Ibid., p. 337.)

Page 542, Note 2
"At the spectacle, the &Muhammadans took flight and the wounded
man was cared for the aunt of &Mir &Salah in her own house." (A. L. M.
Nicolas' "Siyyid &Ali-Muhammad dit le &Bab," p. 341.)

Page 543, Note 2
"The governor and the &Ulamas wrote to His Majesty reports in which
their fear and perplexity were revealed. The &Shah, hardly rid of the war in
&Mazindaran and enraged at the thought of another sedition in another
section of his empire, urged also by his son &Sadr-i-A'zam and by the
&ulamas who had declared a holy war, gave orders to kill the &Babis and
plunder their possessions. It was on Friday the third of Rajab that the
order came to &Zanjan." (Ibid., pp. 341-342.)


+P67
Page 544, Note 1
"All was bewildering confusion. The &Muhammadans were frantically
running to and fro, looking for their wives, their children or their
belongings. They came and went crazed, aghast, weeping over what they had to
abandon. Families were separated, fathers thrusting back their sons,
wives their husbands, children their mothers. Whole houses remained
deserted. so great was the haste, and the governor sent soldiers to the
neighboring villages to secure new recruits for the holy war." (A. L. M.
Nicolas' "Siyyid &Ali-Muhammad dit le &Bab," p. 342.)

Page 544, Note 2
"The &Babis, on the other hand, were not passive. They were organizing
for their own protection. &Hujjat was exhorting them never to attack
but always to defend themselves. `Brothers,' he would say to them, `do
not be ashamed of me. Do not believe that because you are the companions
of the &Sahibu'z-Zaman you are to conquer the world by the sword.
I take God as witness; they will kill you, they will burn you, they will send
your heads from town to town. The only victory in store for you is to
sacrifice yourselves, your wives and your possessions. God has always
decreed that in every age the blood of the believers is to be the oil of the
lamp of religion. You have learned of the tortures endured by the saintly
martyrs of &Mazindaran. They were put to death because they affirmed
that the promised &Mihdi had come. I say to you, whosoever has not the
strength to bear such torture, let him go over to the other side for we will
have to endure martyrdom. Is not our master in their power?'" (Ibid.,
pp. 342-343.)

Page 454, Note 1
"Picture to yourself a Persian city. The streets are narrow, of a width
of four or five or eight feet at the most. The surface unpaved has so many
holes that one must proceed cautiously to avoid breaking one's legs. The
houses, with no windows opening on the street, present on both sides unbroken
walls, generally about fifteen feet high and topped with a terrace
without a railing, sometimes crowned by a &bala-Khanih or open pavilion
which is usually an indication of a wealthy house. All that is of adobe or
bricks baked in the sun. The uprights are of bricks baked in the kiln.
This type, of venerable antiquity and in use even before historical times in
the ancient cities of Mesopotamia, has many advantages: it is inexpensive,
it is sanitary, it adapts itself to modest or pretentious plans; it can be a
cottage or a palace entirely covered with mosaics, brilliant paintings and
gold ornaments. But, as is always the case in this world, so many advantages


+P68
are offset by the ease with which such dwellings crumble to pieces.
Cannon balls are not needed, the rain is quite sufficient to demolish them.
Thus we can visualize these famous sites covered, according to tradition,
with immense cities of which nothing remains but ruins of temples and
palaces and mounds scattered over the plains.
"In a few years whole districts vanish without leaving a trace, if the
houses are not kept in repair. As all the cities of Persia are constructed
after the same plan and of the same material, it is easy to visualize &Zanjan
with her crenellated walls with high towers, her crooked streets unpaved
and full of ruts. In the midst of these rose a formidable citadel called
`Chateau &d''Ali-Mardan &Khan.'" (Comte de Gobineau's "Les Religions
et les Philosophies dans l'Asie Centrale," pp. 197-198.)

Page 547, Note 2
"On the fourth day, the &Muhammadans saw with great joy &Sadru'd-Dawlih,
grandson of &Haji &Muhammad-Husayn &Khan of &Isfahan, enter their
section of the city coming from &Sultaniyyih, at the head of the tribe of
&Khamsih. For several days thereafter, reinforcements arrived in great
numbers. First of all, Siyyid &Ali &Khan and &Shahbar &Khan, one from
&Firuz-Kuh, the other from &Maraghih, with two hundred horsemen from
their respective tribes. After them came &Muhammad-'Ali &Khan-i-Shah-Sun
with two hundred mounted &afshars; fifty artillerymen with two field
guns and two mortars, so that the governor was provided with as much
assistance as he could have wished and surrounded with a goodly number
of military chieftains, among whom were several who were famous throughout
the country." (Comte de Gobineau's "Les Religions et les Philosophies
dans l'Asie Centrale," 198-199.)
"One of the most terrible encounters related in the journal of the siege,
is the one which took place on the fifth of &Ramadan. &Mustafa &Khan,
&Qajar, with the fifteenth regiment of &Shigaghi &Sadru'd-Dawlih with his
horsemen of &Khamsih; Siyyid &Ali &Khan of &Firuz-Kuh with his own regiment;
&Muhammad &Aqa, colonel, with the regiment of &Nasir called the
royal regiment; &Muhammad-'Ali &Khan with the Afshar cavalry; Major
&Nabi Big with his cavalry and a troop made up of loyal citizens of &Zanjan;
all these men at dawn attacked the fortifications of the &Babis. The
resistance of the &Babis was magnificent but disastrous. They saw their best
leaders fall, one after another, leaders brave and true, saints who could not
be replaced: &Nur-'Ali the hunter; &Bakhsh-'Ali the carpenter; &Khudadad
and &Fathu'llah Big, all indispensable to the attainment of victory. They
all fell, some in the morning and others in the evening." (Comte de
Gobineau's "Les Religions et les Philosophies dans l'Asie Centrale," p. 200.)


+P69
Page 548, Note 1
"I have seen at &Zanjan the ruins of that fierce encounter; whole sections
of the city have not yet been rebuilt and probably never will be.
Some of those who took part in the tragedy have related to me upon the
very spot certain incidents: the &Babis ascended and descended the terraces
while carrying their cannon with them. Sometimes the earthen floor, not
very firm, gave way and they had to raise the heavy gun again by dint of
man power and had to prop the ground up with beams. When the enemy
approached the crowd surrounded the guns with enthusiasm, all arms
extended to lift them up and, when the carriers fell under the bullets of the
assailants, a hundred comrades vied with each other for the honor of replacing
them. Assuredly this was true faith!" (Ibid., pp. 200-201.)

Page 556, Note 1
According to Gobineau (p. 202), &Aziz &Khan was "general-in-chief of
the troops of &Adhirbayjan and then first aide-de-camp of the king. He
was passing through &Zanjan, on his way to Tiflis, to congratulate the
grand duke, heir apparent of Russia, on the occasion of his arrival in
Caucasia."

Page 557, Note 2
"&Muhammad &Khan, then &Bigliyirbigi and &Mir-panj, or general of the
division, today become &Amir-Tuman, joined the troops already engaged
in this city; he brought them three thousand men of the regiments of
&Shigaghi and certain regiments of the guards with six cannon and two
mortars. Almost at the same time &Qasim &Khan arrived from the frontier
of &Karabagh, entering &Zanjan from another quarter, and the major &Arslan
&Khan with cavalry from &Khirghan, and &Ali-Agbar, captain of &Khuy,
arrived with infantry. For each one had received orders from the king
and they were all hastening to comply." (Comte de Gobineau's "Les
Religions et les Philosophies dans l'Asie Centrale," p. 201.)

Page 564, Note 1
"Decidedly the situation was becoming critical for the &Muhammadans
and it looked as though they would never overcome such a tenacious resistance.
Moreover, why take so much trouble? Why endanger uselessly
the lives,--not of the soldiers, mere cannon fodder they,--but those of the
officers and the generals? Why expose oneself daily to ridicule and to
defeat? Why not follow the example of &Shaykh &Tabarsi? Why not


+P70
resort to deceit? Why not make the most sacred promises, even though
it might later become necessary to massacre those gullibles who had put
their trust in them?" (A. L. M. Nicolas' "Siyyid &Ali-Muhammad dit le
&Bab," p. 350.)

Page 568, Note 1
"Finally the threats of the court, the encouragement and the
reinforcements arrived so fast, there was such a disproportion as to soldiers
and supplies between the &Babis and their adversaries that the outcome became
both evident and imminent." (Comte de Gobineau's "Les Religions et les
Philosophies dans l'Asie Centrale," p. 203.)

Page 569, Note 1
"The regiment of &Karrus under the command of the chief of the tribe,
&Hasan-'Ali &Khan (today minister to Paris), took the fort of &Ali-Mardan
&Khan; the fourth regiment broke into the house of &Aqa &Aziz, one of the
strongholds of the city, and burnt it to the ground; the regiment of guards
blew up the hotel located near the &Hamadan gate and, though it lost one
captain and several soldiers, nevertheless it remained in possession of the
place." (Ibid., p. 203.)

Pages 575-576, Note 1
"Then &Muhammad &Khan &Bigliyirbigi, &Amir &Arslan &Khan and the
other commanders, although they had guaranteed on their honor to spare
the lives of the &Babis, assembled them in front of their troops to the
accompaniment of drums and trumpets and ordered one hundred men, chosen
from the different regiments, to take the prisoners and place them in a row.
The command was then given to pierce them with bayonets, which was
done. Then the leaders of the &Babis, &Sulayman the shoemaker and &Haji
&Kazim &Giltughi were blown to pieces from the mouths of mortars. This
type of execution invented in Asia, but practised also by the English troops
during the revolt in India, with the refinement with which European science
and intelligence invest everything they do, consists in tying the victim
to the mouth of the cannon loaded with powder. When the explosion
takes place, the victim is torn to pieces, the size of the pieces depending
upon the amount of powder used.
"The execution over, the captives were sorted again. They set aside
&Mirza &Rida, lieutenant of &Mulla &Muhammad-'Ali, and on all those of high
standing or importance they placed chains about their necks and shackles


+P71
on their hands and feet. They then decided to disregard the royal command
and to take them to &Tihran in order to augment their triumph. As
for the few unfortunates who were left and whose life or death was of no
importance to anyone, they were abandoned and the victorious army returned
to the capital, dragging with them their prisoners, who walked
ahead of the horses of the victorious generals.
"Upon their arrival in &Tihran, the &Amir &Nizam, prime minister,
found it necessary to make an example of this new execution and &Mirza
&Rida, &Haji &Muhammad-'Ali and &Haji &Muhsin were condemned to have
their veins slashed open. The three victims learned the news without
betraying the least emotion; they declared, nevertheless, that the lack of
good faith, of which the authorities had been guilty, was not one of those
crimes that the Almighty could be satisfied with punishing in the ordinary
way; He would demand a punishment more impressive and striking for the
persecutors of His saints. Consequently, they foretold that the prime
minister would very soon suffer the same death that he was inflicting upon
them.
"I have heard this prophecy referred to and I do not doubt for an
instant that they who informed me of it, were firmly convinced of its truth.
I must however state here that when I was told about it, four years had
elapsed since the &Amir-Nizam was thus put to death by royal edict. The
only thing I can affirm therefore is that I was given assurance that the
prophecy had really been made by the martyrs of &Zanjan." (Comte de
Gobineau's "Les Religions et les Philosophies dans l'Asie Centrale,"
pp. 207-209.)

Page 577, Note 1
"After the execution, the spectators invaded the field of death, some
searching for the body of a friend in order to bury it, others moved only by
morbid curiosity. It is said that a &Muhammadan, named &Vali-Muhammad,
came upon the body of one of his neighbours and, noticing that he was
not quite dead, he called to him and said, `I am your neighbor &Vali-Muhammad.
If you need anything call on me.' The other indicated that he was
thirsty. Immediately the &Muhammadan fetched a large stone and returning
to his neighbor, said, `Open your mouth, I bring you water.' As the
dying man complied he crushed his head with the stone.
"At last, the &Bigliyirbigi started for &Tihran, taking with him
forty-four prisoners among whom were the son of &Mirza &Rida, &Haji
&Muhammad-'Ali and &Haji &Muhsin the surgeon. These three were put to death
after their arrival, the others were doomed to rot in prison." (A. L. M.
Nicolas' "Siyyid &Ali-Muhammad dit le &Bab," p. 363.)


+P72
Page 577, Note 2
"It was not enough for them to have gained the victory, they had even
to insult the bodies of their enemies. They were eager to question the
&Babis but, no matter how great the torture with which they threatened
them, the &Babis refused to speak. They poured boiling oil upon the head
of &Aqa &Din-Muhammad, but he remained silent. Finally, the &Sardar had
the son of the deceased chief brought before him. This child was but seven
years of age, his name was &Aqa &Husayn and, through clever threats and
insidious flattery, they succeeded in making him speak." (Ibid., p. 361.)


CHAPTER XXVI

Page 599, Note 3
"In the morning, the king went out for a horseback ride. Before him,
as usual, went equerries carrying long lances, grooms leading horses with
embroidered saddle cloths, and a group of nomad riders with their rifles
slung over the shoulder and their swords hanging from their saddles. This
vanguard preceded the king in order that he might not be annoyed by the
dust raised by the cavalry, and the king followed along slowly, a little
distance from the retinue of the great lords, chiefs and officers who
accompanied him everywhere. He was near the palace and had barely passed
the small door of the garden of &Muhammad-Hasan, Sanduq-dar or treasurer
of the Savings, when he noticed, at the side of the road, three men, three
gardeners, standing two on the left, and one on the right side, seemingly
waiting for him. He did not suspect danger and rode on. When quite
close, he saw them bow very low and he heard them cry out together, `We
are your sacrifice! We make a request.' This is the traditional formula,
but instead of remaining aloof as is customary, they rushed on him repeating,
`We make a request!' Surprised, the king shouted, `Rascals, what
do you want?' At that moment, the man on his right took hold of the
bridle of the horse and fired upon the king. In the meantime, the two men
on the left fired also. One of the shots cut the collar of pearls adorning
the horse's neck, another riddled with buckshot the right arm and back
of the king. Immediately, the man on the right pulled on the leg of His
Majesty and would have unsaddled him, had it not been that the two
assassins on the left were pulling on the other side. The king was striking
his assailants on the head with his fists, while the jumping of the frightened
horse paralyzed their efforts and delayed their aggression. The royal
retinue, at first dumbfounded, hurried towards their master. &Asadu'llah


+P73
&Khan, the grand equerry, and one of the nomad riders killed the man on
the right with their swords. In the meantime, several lords threw down
the other two men and bound them.
"Doctor Cloquet, the court physician, had the king brought quickly
into the garden of &Muhammad-Hasan, &Sanduq-dar; as no one seemed to
know what had really happened, and those who sensed an imminent
danger, had no idea of what a catastrophe it might be. During more than
an hour, a great tumult reigned in the city of &Niyavaran, while ministers
headed by the &Sadr-i-A'zam rushed into the garden. The bugles, the
drums, the tambourines and the fifes were calling the troops together; the
&ghulams came riding at full speed; everyone was giving orders, no one saw,
heard or knew anything. In the midst of this confusion a courier arrived
from &Tihran, sent by &Ardishir &Mirza, governor of the city, to enquire what
had happened and what measures should be taken in the capital, for, on
the previous evening, the rumor had grown into a certainty that the king
had been assassinated. The bazaars, policed by men in arms, had been
deserted by the merchants. All night long, bakeries had been surrounded,
everyone trying to store up provisions for several days, as people do when
they foresee trouble.
"At dawn, as the agitation grew, &Ardishir &Mirza had ordered the gates
of the citadel of the town closed, put the regiment on a war footing, and
pointed his guns, although he did not know who the enemy was; and now
he was asking for orders." (Comte de Gobineau's "Les Religions et les
Philosophies dans l'Asie Centrale," pp. 231-233.)

Pages 605-606, Note 1
..."Ardishir &Mirza was forced to act in consequence. He kept the
gates of the city closed and guarded, giving orders to examine closely all
those who might ask to leave. The people were urged to climb the walls
near the &Shimiran gate in order to see in the open field across the bridge
the mutilated body of &Sadiq. The prince governor called together the
&Kalantar or prefect of police, the &Vazir of the city, the &Darughih or police
judge, and the heads of the boroughs and ordered them to seek and arrest
all persons suspected of being &Babis. As no one could leave the city, they
waited until night-fall to start ferreting them out, ruse and cunning being
the main requisites employed.
"The police force in &Tihran, as in all Asiatic cities, is very well
organized. It is a legacy of the Sassanides which the Arabian &Khalifs have
carefully preserved. As it was to the advantage of all governments (no
matter how bad, and even more so to the worst ones) to maintain it, it has


+P74
remained, so to speak, unchanged, in the midst of the ruins of other
institutions, equally efficient, which have decayed.
"One should know that the head of every borough, always in touch
with the Kalantar, has under him a few men called `&sar-ghishmihs,' policemen
who, without either uniform or badge, never leave the streets which are
assigned to them. They are generally well liked by the people and they
live on familiar terms with them. They are helpful at all times and, at
night, be it winter or summer, they recline under the awning of any store,
indifferent to rain or snow, and watch over private property. In this way
they reduce the number of thefts by rendering them difficult. Moreover,
they know every dweller and his ways, so that they can assist in case of
investigation; they know the minds, the opinions, the acquaintances, the
relations of everyone; and if one asks three friends to dinner, the
&sar-ghishmih without spying, so well informed is he about everyone, knows the
time of the arrival of the guests, what has been served, what has been said
and done, and the time of their departure. The &Kad-khudas warned these
policemen to watch the &Babis in their respective sections and everyone
awaited the results." (Comte de Gobineau's "Les Religions et les Philosophies
dans l'Asie Centrale," pp. 234-235.)

Page 610, Note 1
"They ordered the body of &Sadiq, the &Babi who had been murdered,
to be tied to the tail of a mule and dragged over the stones as far as &Tihran,
so that the entire population could see that the conspirators had failed.
At the same time, messengers were sent to &Ardishir &Mirza to dictate to
him what he should do." (Comte de Gobineau's "Les Religions et les
Philosophies dans l'Asie Centrale," p. 234.)

Page 612-614, Note 2
..."On that day, a spectacle was witnessed in the streets and bazaars
of &Tihran which the people can never forget. Even to this very day, it
remains the topic of conversation; one still feels a shocking horror which
the years have not been able to lessen. The people saw marching, between
executioners, children and women with deep holes cut into their flesh in
which lighted wicks were inserted. The victims were dragged with ropes
and goaded on with whips. Children and women went forth singing this
verse: `In truth, we come from God and unto Him do we return.' Their
voices were raised triumphant above the deep silence of the crowd, for the
citizens of &Tihran were neither mean nor great believers in &Islam. When
one of the victims fell to the ground and they prodded him up with bayonets,
if the loss of blood which dripped from his wounds had left him any


+P75
strength, he would begin to dance and to cry out with even greater enthusiasm:
`In truth, we come from God and unto Him do we return!'
"Some of the children expired on the way. The executioners would
throw their bodies under the feet of their fathers and sisters, who proudly
walked over them without giving it a second thought. When the &cortege
reached the place of execution near the New Gate, the victims were given
the choice between life and abjuration of their faith; they were even
subjected to every form of intimidation. One of the executioners conceived
the idea of saying to a father that, unless he yielded, he would cut
the throats of his two sons on his very breast. The sons were quite young,
the oldest about fourteen. Covered with blood, their flesh scorched, they
were listening stoically to the threats. The father replied, while laying
himself down, that he was ready and the older of the boys, claiming a prior
right, requested to be the first to die. It may be that the executioner
denied him even that last comfort.
"At last, the tragedy was over and night fell upon a heap of formless
bodies; the heads were tied in bundles to the posts of justice and the dogs
on the outskirts of the city were crowding about. That day won for the
&Babis a larger number of secret followers than much exhortation could
have done.
"As I have said above, the impression caused by the terrifying
impassibility of the martyrs was deep and lasting. I have often heard eye
witnesses describe the scenes of that fateful day, men close to the government,
some even holding important positions. While listening to them, one could
easily have believed that they were all &Babis, so great was their admiration
for the events in which &Islam played so inglorious a part, and so high a
conception did they entertain of the resources, the hopes and the means of
success of the new religion." (Comte de Gobineau's "Les Religions et les
Philosophies dans l'Asie Centrale," pp. 248-250.)

Page 622, Note 1
"She remained in &Tihran a long time receiving numerous visitors both
men and women. She aroused the women by showing them the abject
role which &Islam assigned to them and she won them over to the new
religion by showing them the freedom and respect which it would bestow
upon them. Many domestic disputes followed, not always to the advantage
and credit of the husband. These discussions might have continued
at length, if &Mirza &Aqa &Khan-i-Nuri had not been appointed &Sadr-i-A'zam.
The premier ordered &Haji &Mulla &Muhammad &Andirmani and &Haji &Mulla
&Ali &Kini to call on her in order to examine into her belief. They held
seven conferences with her in which she argued with much feeling and


+P76
affirmed that the &Bab was the promised and expected &Imam. Her adversaries
called her attention to the fact that, in accordance with the prophecies,
the promised &Imam was to come from &Jabulqa and &Jabulsa. She
retorted feelingly that those prophecies were false and forged by false
traditionalists and, as these two cities never existed, they could only be the
superstitions of diseased brains. She expounded the new doctrine, bringing
out its truth, but always encountered the same argument of &Jabulqa.
Exasperated, she finally told them: `Your reasoning is that of an ignorant
and stupid child; how long will you cling to these follies and lies? When
will you lift your eyes towards the Sun of Truth?' Shocked by such
blasphemy, &Haji &Mulla &Ali rose up and led his friend away saying, `Why
prolong our discussion with an infidel?' They returned home and wrote
out the sentence which established her apostasy and her refusal to retract,
and condemned her to death in the name of the &Qur'an!" (A. L. M.
Nicolas' "Siyyid &Ali-Muhammad dit le &Bab," pp. 446-447.)

Page 622, Note 2
"While a prisoner in the house of the &Kalantar, the marriage of the son
of the family took place. Naturally, the wives of all the prominent men
were invited; but, although the host had gone to a great deal of expense to
provide the customary entertainment, the women loudly demanded that
&Qurratu'l-'Ayn be brought before the company. She had hardly appeared
and begun to speak when the musicians and dancers were dismissed. The
ladies, forgetful of the sweets of which they were so fond, had eyes only for
&Qurratu'l-'Ayn." (Ibid., p. 448.)

Page 625, Note 2
"Across from the English Legation and the Turkish Embassy stretched
a rather vast square which since 1893 has disappeared. Toward the center
of this square, but in line with the street, stood five or six trees which
marked the spot where the &Babi heroine had died, for in those days the
garden of &Ilkhani extended that far. On my return in 1898 the square had
entirely disappeared overrun by modern buildings and I do not know
whether the present owner has saved those trees which pious hands had
planted." (A. L. M. Nicolas' "Siyyid &Ali-Muhammad dit le &Bab," p. 452.)

Page 629-631, Note 1
..."The other missionary, the woman to whom I refer, had come to
&Qazvin. She was without doubt, at the same time, the object of the &Babis
highest veneration and one of the most strikingly fascinating manifestations


+P77
of that religion." (Comte de Gobineau's "Les Religions et les Philosophies
dans l'Asie Centrale," p. 136.)
"Many who have known her and heard her at different times have
stated that, for a person so learned and so well read, the outstanding
characteristic of her discourse was an amazing simplicity and still, when she
spoke, her audience was deeply stirred and filled with admiration, often in
tears." (Ibid., p. 150.)
"Although the &Muhammadans and &Babis speak in the highest terms of
the beauty of `Consolation of the Eyes,' it is beyond dispute that the
intelligence and character of this young woman were even more remarkable
than has been related. Having heard, almost daily, learned conversations,
it seems that, at an early age, she had taken a deep interest in them;
hence it came about that she was perfectly able to follow the subtle arguments
of her father, her uncle, her cousin and now her husband, and even
to debate with them and frequently to astonish them with the power and
keenness of her mind. In Persia, one does not frequently see women
engaged in intellectual pursuits but, nevertheless, it does sometimes occur.
What is really extraordinary is to find a woman of the ability of
&Qurratu'l-'Ayn. Not only did she carry her knowledge of Arabic to an unusual
degree of perfection, but she became also outstanding in the knowledge of
the traditions of &Islam and of the varied interpretations of the disputed
passages of the &Qur'an and of the great writers. In &Qazvin, she was
rightly considered a prodigy." (Ibid., p. 137.)

Pages 645-647, Note 1
"Strange as it may seem, they respected the women whom they gathered
and led to Mount &Biyaban. There were, among them, two old men too
feeble to fight, &Mulla &Muhammad-Musa, a fuller, and &Mashhadi &Baqir,
a dyer. These were murdered. &Mashhadi &Baqir was killed by &Ali Big,
captain of the &Nayrizi soldiers, who severed the head from the body of his
victim and gave it to a child; then, covering the head of the niece of his
victim with a black veil, he led her to &Mirza &Na'im, who was then on Mount
&Biyaban seated upon a stone in a garden. When &Ali Big approached
him, he threw the head of &Baqir at him and shoved the little girl abruptly
forward. She fell on her face, as he cried out, `We have done as you
wished, the &Babis are no more!'
"&Akhund &Mulla &Abdu'l-Husayn ordered that the mouth of &Mirza
&Na'im be stuffed with dirt, then a &ghulam shot him in the head but the
wound was not fatal.
"Approximately six hundred and three women were arrested and taken
to the mill called `&Takht' which is near &Nayriz. One author tells the


+P78
following anecdote: `I was very young then and I was following my mother
who had another son younger than I. A man, called &Asadu'llah, was
carrying my brother on his shoulders. The child wore a hat decorated
with a few ornaments. A rider saw the hat and snatched it with such
brutality that he took hold at the same time of the hair of the baby. The
child was thrown about ten feet away and my poor mother found him
unconscious.'
"I shall not expatiate upon the horrors which followed this victory.
It is enough to know that &Mirza &Na'im rode on, preceded and followed by
men carrying the heads of the martyrs on pikes. The prisoners were
prodded along with whip and sword. The women were jostled into ditches
full of water. The night was spent at the caravansary in &Shiraz. In the
morning, the women were taken out, all entirely naked; they were kicked,
stoned, whipped and spat upon. When their tormentors grew tired, they
were confined for twenty days, during which time they were constantly
insulted and outraged. Eighty &Babis bound together in tens, were entrusted
to one hundred soldiers, with &Shiraz as their destination. Siyyid
&Mir &Muhammad &Abd died from exposure to cold at &Khanih-gird, others
expired a little further on. The guards, from time to time, would cut off
the head of one of them. At last they entered &Shiraz, through the gate of
&Sa'di. They paraded the prisoners through the streets, then they cast
them into prison. The women were taken out of the school building after
twenty days and separated into two groups. One group was set free, the
others were sent to &Shiraz with other prisoners who had lately been arrested.
"On reaching &Shiraz, the caravan was again divided into two groups;
the women were sent to the caravansary &Shah &Mir &Ali-Hamzih and the
men to prison with the other &Babis. The next day was a feast day. The
governor, surrounded by all the prominent citizens of &Shiraz, ordered the
prisoners to be brought before him. A &Nayrizi called &Jalal, whom &Na'im
had nicknamed `Bulbul,' revealed the names of his fellow-citizens. The
first one to appear was &Mulla &Abdu'l-Husayn, who was commanded to
curse the &Bab. He refused and his head rolled on the ground. &Haji son
of &Asghar, &Ali &Garm-Siri, &Husayn son of &Hadi &Khayri, &Sadiq son of
&Salih, and &Muhammad-ibn-i-Muhsin all were executed. The women were set
free and the men who survived were taken back to prison. The &Shah
having demanded that the prisoners be sent away, seventy-three were sent
to &Tihran. Twenty-two died during the journey, among whom were
&Mulla &Abdu'l-Husayn who died at &Saydan, &Ali son of &Karbila'i &Zaman at
&Abadih; Akbar son of &Karbila'i &Muhammad at &Qinarih; &Hasan son of
&Abdu'l-Vahhab, &Mulla &Ali-Akbar, at &Isfahan. &Karbila'i &Baqir son of
&Muhammad-Zamam, &Hasan and his brother &Dhu'l-Faqar, &Karbila'i &Naqi


+P79
and &Ali his son, &Vali &Khan, &Mulla &Karim, Akbar &Ra'is, &Ghulam-'Ali
son of &Pir &Muhammad, &Naqi and &Muhammad-'Ali, sons of &Muhammad,
expired likewise during the course of the journey.
"The others reached &Tihran and, on the very day of their arrival,
fifteen of them were put to death, among them &Aqa Siyyid &Ali who had been
abandoned as dead, &Karbila'i Rajab the barber, &Sayfu'd-Din, &Sulayman
son of K. &Salman, &Ja'far, &Murad &Khayri, &Husayn son of K. &Baqir, &Mirza
&Abu'l-Hasan son of &Mirza &Taqi, &Mulla &Muhammad-'Ali son of &Aqa &Mihdi.
Twenty-three died in prison, thirteen were freed after three years, the only
one who remained in &Tihran, to die there a little later, was &Karbila'i
&Zaynu'l-'Abidin." (A. L. M. Nicolas' "Siyyid &Ali-Muhammad dit le
&Bab," pp. 421-424.)


Epilogue

Page 659, Note 1
Gobineau, writing in about the year 1865, testifies as follows: "Public
opinion holds that the &Babis are to be found in every social class and among
the members of every religion, with the exception of the &Nusayris and the
Christians, but it is especially the educated classes, the men of learning who
are suspected of sympathy with &Babism. It is believed, and with good
reason, that many &mullas and, among them, outstanding mujtahids,
magistrates of high rank, and high court officials very close to the king, are
&Babis. According to a recent estimate, there would be in &Tihran, a city of
about eighty thousand souls, five thousand &Babis. But this estimate is not
very reliable and I am inclined to think that, if the &Babis were to triumph
in Persia, their number in the capital would be much larger, for, at that
moment, one would have to add to the number of the zealous ones, whatever
that number may now be, a large proportion of those who are recently
in favor of the officially condemned doctrine and to whom victory would
impart the courage to declare their faith openly." (Les Religions et les
Philosophies dans l'Asie Centrale," p. 251.)

Page 660, Note 1
Gobineau, writing about the year 1865, gives the following testimony:
"Thus &Babism has won a considerable influence on the mind of Persia, and
spreading beyond the Persian frontier, has overflowed into the pachalick of
&Baghdad and penetrated into India. Among its characteristics, one of the
most striking is that, even during the life of the &Bab, many of the new


+P80
faith, many of its most convinced and devoted followers, have never known
personally their prophet and do not seem to have attached great importance
to the hearing of his instructions from his own lips. Nevertheless,
they rendered him, completely and without reservation, the honors and
the veneration to which, in their own eyes, he was certainly entitled."
(Comte de Gobineau's "Les Religions et les Philosophies dans l'Asie Centrale,"
p. 255.)

Pages 663-665, Note 1
"The Cause of the &Bab is on the road to great achievements. We have
now shown how there has taken place a religious movement which absorbs
the deepest attention of Central Asia, that is to say, of Persia, several
regions of India and a section of Asiatic Turkey; a religious movement,
therefore, truly remarkable and worthy of being studied. Through it, we
witness events, manifestations, catastrophes such that one could only
imagine possible in remote ages when the great religions were born. I
even confess that if I were to see appear in Europe a religion like unto
&Babism, with advantages such as &Babism possesses, with complete faith,
an undaunted enthusiasm, tried courage and proven devotion, winning the
respect of the indifferent, frightening its adversaries and, moreover, a
tireless proselytism constantly gaining adherents in every social class,--if
I were to see such a phenomenon in Europe, I would not hesitate to predict
that, within a given time, power and sovereignty would of necessity belong
to a group so richly endowed." (Comte de Gobineau's "Les Religions et
les Philosophies dans l'Asie Centrale," pp. 116, 293-294.)
"It seems certain that from the religious standpoint and especially
from the moral one, &Babism marks an advance over the teachings of &Islam;
one may hold with M. Vambery (French Academy, March 12, 1892) that
its leader has expressed doctrines worthy of the greatest thinkers....
In any case the growth of &Babism is an interesting chapter in the history
of modern religions and civilization. And thus, after all is said, those
who praise it are perhaps right; it may be that from &Babism will come the
regeneration of the Persian peoples, even of the whole of &Islam which is in
real need of it. Unfortunately there is seldom a national regeneration
without much shedding of blood." (M. J. Balteau's "Le &Babisme," p. 28.)


+P81
Reproduction of letter from Shoghi Effendi, through his secretary,
to Dr. and Mrs. &Perigord.

[The letter was handwritten, and ended on page 83.]