It was in the days of the Báb that he first set his lips to the
intoxicating cup of spiritual truth, and he had a strange tumult in his
brain, a fierce yearning in his heart. In the path of God he threw down
whatever he possessed; he gambled everything away, gave up his home, his
kin, his physical well-being, his peace of mind. Like a fish on the sand,
he struggled to reach the water of life. He came to ‘Iráq, joined the
friends of his soul, and entered the presence of Bahá’u’lláh. For some
time he lived there, joyful and content, receiving endless bounty. Then he
was sent back to Persia, where, to the utmost of his capacity, he served
the Faith. He was a whole and accomplished man, staunch, firmly rooted as
the hills; sound, and worthy of trust. To him, in all that turmoil and
panic, the wild dogs howling were only buzzing flies; tests and trials
rested his mind; when cast into the fire of afflictions that broke out, he
proved to be shining gold.
On the day when the convoy of Bahá’u’lláh was leaving Constantinople for
Adrianople, Mírzá Muṣṭafá arrived from Persia. There was no opportunity
for him to reach Bahá’u’lláh except once; and he was thereupon directed to
return to Persia. At such a moment he had the honor of being received.
When Mírzá Muṣṭafá reached Á_dh_irbayján, he began to spread the Faith.
Day and night he remained in a state of prayer, and there in Tabríz he
drank of a brimming cup. His fervor increased, his teaching raised a
tumult. Then the eminent scholar, the renowned _Sh_ay_kh_
Aḥmad-i-_Kh_urásání, came to Á_dh_irbayján and the two of them joined
forces. The result was such overwhelming spiritual fire that they taught
the Faith openly and publicly and the people of Tabríz rose up in wrath.
The farrá_sh_es hunted them down, and caught Mírzá Muṣṭafá. But then the
oppressors said, “Mírzá Muṣṭafá had two long locks of hair. This cannot be
the right man.” At once, Mírzá Muṣṭafá took off his hat and down fell the
locks of hair. “Behold!” he told them. “I am the one.” They arrested him
then. They tortured him and _Sh_ay_kh_ Aḥmad until finally, in Tabríz,
those two great men drained the cup of death and, martyred, hastened away
to the Supreme Horizon.
At the place where they were to be killed, Mírzá Muṣṭafá cried out: “Kill
me first, kill me before _Sh_ay_kh_ Aḥmad, that I may not see them shed
his blood!”
Their greatness has been recorded for all time in the Writings of
Bahá’u’lláh. They received many a Tablet from Him, and after their death
He set down, with His exalted pen, the anguish they endured.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account