In the Land of Refuge

374^ The actual value of these lands went into the millions and represented an exceptional contribution for that period. It should be borne in mind that the Vakílu’d-Dawlih ranked among the wealthiest citizens, and only a fraction of his vast estate had previously been used for the construction of the Temple in ‘Ishqábád. Even though this gift was earmarked for the House of the Báb, it was clearly meant as a general contribution to the Bahá’í International Fund, as the needs of the House of the Báb were considerably less than this amount.

375^ Shoghi Effendi’s father.

376^ Dr. Qurbán had married a Muslim woman without a Bahá’í ceremony and had refused instructions to rectify the matter, and he was therefore expelled from the Bahá’í Faith by the Guardian. The family of Qurbán and the majority of the Dihqán clan continued to associate with him, and one after another were excommunicated.

377^ For a biography, see The Bahá’í World, vol. 12, pp. 690–92.

378^ Shoghi Effendi’s Lawh-i Qarn [Tablet of the Centennial], written for the Bahá’ís of the East in Naw-Rúz 1944, is similar in many features to God Passes By, except it is shorter.

379^ A moving account of this event is reported in The Bahá’í World, vol. 10, pp. 181–84.

380^ See Afnán, Memories of the Báb, Bahá’u’lláh, and ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, chapter 11, for some other events associated with this same mosque.

381^ For translation see, MacEoin, Rituals in Bábísm and Bahá’ísm, pp. 115–18.

382^ For the most part, this appendix is a translation of excerpts of Abú’l-Qásim Afnán’s article, “Baytu’lláh Akram.” An outline of the same history is given in Fayzí, Khándán Afnán, pp. 204–14.

383^ The full text is in INBMC 52:379–80, no. 427.

384^ The original text is in INBMC 52:368–69, no. 412.

385^ The original text is in INBMC 52:364, no. 408.

386^ The original text is in INBMC 52:369–70, no. 413.

387^ Three years after the Báb, Khadíjih Bagum was also born in this house.

388^ See appendix 1, which outlines Hasan Balyúzí’s visit to Shíráz and gives an example of this carpet-seller’s sedition.

389^ Son of Prime Minister Hájí Ibráhím.

390^ Murdered October 1818.

391^ Received title in 1829, deposed on July 1832.

392^ Son of the first vizier of Fárs.

393^ Died 1846.

394^ Deposed 5 October 1876

395^ This title was first used by Nádir Sháh who bestowed it upon Mírzá Muhammad-Husayn, the custodian of Sháh-Chiráq of Shíráz. When the Sháh arrived in Kirmán in 1651, he summoned all the ministers of Fárs and ordered some killed and the rest blinded. In that same year, he appointed Mírzá Muhammad-Husayn governor of Fárs and titled him Sáhib-Ikhtíyár, authorized to kill, on any single occasion up to 50 men, but allowed to blind or maim as many as he wished.

396^ INBMC 52:296, no. 296.

397^ See Afnán, Memories of the Báb, Bahá’u’lláh, and ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, chapter 2.

398^ See Fasá’í, Fársnámih Násirí, vol. 1, pp. 820–33, and Bámdád, Sharh Hál Rijál Iran, vol. 2, pp. 104–10.

399^ Fayzí, Hadrat Nuqtih Ulá, p. 64.

400^ Fasá’í, Fársnámih Násirí, vol. 2, pp. 76–77.

401^ For a discussion of the dates associated with the Báb’s hajj journey see, MacEoin, Sources for the Early Bábí Doctrine and History, p. 48.

402^ Fayzí, Khándán Afnán, pp. 25–27. Over the years and in particular during the 1960s, two of Mírzá Habíbu’lláh’s sons, Abú’l-Qásim and Hasan Afnán, had the opportunity to examine and classify the Afnán family papers dating back to the late 1700s. These dealt mostly with the extensive commercial enterprises of the family—including a large amount of records pertaining to the Báb’s business activities—which had been accumulated over the span of several generations. In the course of this effort, they located a great many historical documents of prime importance, and several of those documents are translated in this appendix.

403^ A reference to Khadíjih Bagum.

404^ Presumably, a reference to his wife.

405^ After the passing of the Báb’s father, the Khál A‘zam served as his Nephew’s guardian and reared Him until the age 15, at which time the Báb moved to Búshihr.

406^ Fayzí, Khándán Afnán, pp. 27–31.

407^ The attribution of this letter to the Khál Akbar has been questioned in Amanat, Resurrection and Renewal, p. 355, n. 127, where it is suggested that this letter was written by Hájí Mírzá Siyyid ‘Alí. However, the original text of the letter clearly indicates that it was authored by the Khál Akbar; moreover, the narrative of his son, the Vakílu’d-Dawlih, quoted later in this appendix, confirms that indeed it was the Khál Akbar who was in Búshihr at this time.

408^ Presumably, a reference to Quddús whose full name was Hájí Mullá Muhammad-‘Alí Bárfurúshí.

409^ Mubahilih is the practice of opponents challenging one another to mutual cursing, expecting the truthful one to be safe and the wicked to receive divine chastisement. For example, while in Edirnih, Bahá’u’lláh invited Mírzá Yahyá Azal to a public mubahilih, but the latter failed to come.

410^ Presumably, a reference to the Báb’s grandmother and mother.

411^ Nabíl A’zam, The Dawn-Breakers, p. 143. As described in chapter 1 above, the Khál A‘zam had been deeply impressed by the saintly devotion of his Nephew and, through his contacts with the Shaykhí community, was already expecting the Manifestation of the Promised One.

412^ Fayzí, Khándán Afnán, p. 113–17.

413^ Commonly known as al-Sahifat al-Kamilat al-Sajjadiyya, it is the collection of supplications of the fourth Shi‘i Imám, ‘Alí ibn Husayn, surnamed Zaynu’l-‘Abidín, Who is also known as Siyyid Sajidiyyin, hence, the title of the book. The collection has been translated into English by William C. Chittick and published under the title of The Psalms of Islam. In his introduction, the translator notes:

al-Sahifat al-Sajjadiyya is the oldest prayer manual in Islamic sources and one of the most seminal works of Islamic spirituality of the early period.…Shi‘ite tradition considers the Sahifa a book worthy of the utmost veneration, ranking it behind only the Qur’án and ‘Alí’s Nahj al-balagha….The Sahifa has been called by various honorifics, such as ‘Sister of the Qur’án’, ‘Gospel of the Folk of the House’, and ‘Psalms of the Household of Muhammad’….According to Shi‘ite tradition, Zayn al-‘Abidín collected his supplications and taught them to his children, especially [the fifth Imám] Muhammad-Baqir and Zayd. In later times the text became widely disseminated among Shi‘ites of all persuasions. The specialists in the science of hadith maintain that the text is mutawatir; in other words, it was generally known from earliest times and has been handed down by numerous chains of transmission, while its authenticity has never been questioned.

This collection contains fifty-four supplications in the main body of the text and the additional supplications make up the fourteen addenda (including the prayers for the days of the week) and the fifteen munáját or ‘whispered prayers.’

414^ Shaykh Hasan is the brother of Shaykh Husayn ‘Asfúrí, the great-grandfather of Vahíd Dárábí. Earlier, the Báb had made mention of Shaykh Hasan in chapter 27 of His Qayyúmu’l-Asmá’.

415^ Nabíl A’zam, The Dawn-Breakers, p. 144, gives the verse of the Khasá’il-i Sab‘ih as, “I bear witness that He whose name is ‘Alí qabl-i Muhammad [‘Alí before Muhammad] is the servant of Baqiyyatu’lláh.”

416^ Original, “Huruf-i Vajhih,” which literally means the Letters turned to Him, or Exalted by Him.

417^ Fayzí, Khándán Afnán, pp. 104–9.

418^ As noted earlier, the numbers 1–5–2 stand for the three letters composing the word Bahá.

419^ A brief summary is given in, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Memorials of the Faithful, pp. 18–19.

420^ A title of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá.

421^ A moving eyewitness account of the Vakílu’d-Dawlih’s arrival into the presence of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá in December 1907 is provided in Mu’ayyad, Khátirát Habíb, vol. 1, pp. 29–30, and translated in Rabbani, Eight Years Near ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Memoirs of Dr. Habíb Mu’ayyad, chapter 2.

422^ Fayzí, Khándán Afnán, pp. 110–13.

423^ According to A.Q. Afnán, the financial records of that era demonstrate that the second uncle of the Báb continued with his trading business well into 1845 (private correspondence, August 1997).

424^ See chapter 4 for details.

425^ See chapter 7 for details.

426^ Bahá’u’lláh, Núri’d-Dín Collection, pp. 97–98. Fayzí, Khándán Afnán, pp. 35–37, relates a Tablet of Bahá’u’lláh revealed in the honor of the same Áqá Mírzá ‘Abdu’l-Hamíd Shírází that closely correlates with the first half of the above-quoted Tablet but differs drastically in the second half. It is not known to the present translator why these two Texts differ so markedly.

427^ A summary translation previously appeared in Balyúzí, Bahá’u’lláh: The King of Glory, pp. 164–65. Dr. Denis MacEoin first attempted a full translation of this document on the H-Bahai Internet discussion group, and the present translation has benefited from this effort.

428^ Shoghi Effendi, God Passes By, p.138, has placed the revelation of the Kitáb-i Íqán about a year later in AH 1278 or AD 1862.

429^ A famous and untiring teacher, titled Muballigh by Bahá’u’lláh. At a later time, mostly through his efforts the Afnáns of Yazd converted to the Bahá’í Faith.

430^ See Balyúzí, Bahá’u’lláh: The King of Glory, p. 165; Giachery, Shoghi Effendi, pp. 149–50; and Fayzí, Khándán Afnán, pp. 49–56, for a discussion of the fate of the original copy of the Book of Certitude.

431^ See chapter 6.

432^ Fayzí, Khándán Afnán, pp. 43–46.

433^ Fayzí, Khándán Afnán, pp. 42ff.

434^ As given in chapter 1, the paternal genealogy of the Báb is: Siyyid Mír Muhammad-Ridá, son of Mír Ibráhím, son of Mír Fathu’lláh, son of Siyyid ‘Abid, son of Siyyid Lutfu’lláh, son of Mír Muhammad Mu’min Husayní Shírází. The Báb’s grandfather, Mír Ibráhím, had a brother by the name of Mír Ismá‘íl, who had a son named, Mírzá Mahmúd Khúshnivis [calligrapher]. Mírza Mahmúd in turn had three sons: Mírzá Muhammad-Hasan, known as Hujjatu’l-Islam or Mírzáy-i Shírází; Mírzá ‘Alí-Akbar; and a third son who was a physician practicing in Karbalá.

435^ He was the teacher of Shaykhu’r-Ra’ís, a Qájár Prince who was a leading voice for reform in Iran and who is mentioned considerably in this volume.

436^ For the text of the fatwá, see Bámdád, Sharh Hál Rijál Iran, vol. 1, p. 335.

437^ A four-page Tablet of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá addressed to Mírzáy-i Shírází is quoted in Mázandarání, Táríkh Zuhúru’l-Haqq, vol. 6, pp. 1012(ff.).

438^ Bástaní-Párizí, Kuchih Haft Pích, ch. 3, states that Sabzivarí desired the tutelage of Siyyid Javád to such a degree that on foot he traveled from his native Khurásán to Kirmán, and when he arrived the period of enrollment for the Siyyid’s class was completed. Undaunted, Sabzivarí took a job as a janitor in that building, married the daughter of the building’s custodian, and stayed for the next six months to partake of these lectures. The same source further states that Siyyid Javád would commence his annual classes on the first day of the Fall by reciting the opening two verses of Rúmí’s Mathnaví, and then spending the next six months offering unsurpassed analysis and expositions, concluding his last lecture on the day before Naw-Rúz.

439^ One of the Bábís of Kirmán has left behind a large account of Quddús’ visit to that city, entitled Kitábu’l-Quddúsiyyih, which the present translator has rendered into English and which will soon appear in print.

440^ Bahá’u’lláh, Ishráqát, p. 48.

441^ Fayzí, Khándán Afnán, pp. 10–11.

442^ Qur’án 55:46–47.

443^ For an example of a Tradition attributed to Imám Hasan, see Fayzí, Khándán Afnán, p. 9.

444^ For a detailed discussion of the Afnán family, see Fayzí, Khándán Afnán and Mázandarání, Táríkh Zuhúru’l-Haqq, vol. 5, pp. 515–30.

445^ For letters written by Khál Akbar to his family members on this issue, see Rabbani, “Conversion of the Great-Uncle of the Báb,” and appendix 4.

446^ Nabíl A‘zam, The Dawn-Breakers, p. 190.

447^ Mázandarání, Táríkh Zuhúru’l-Haqq, vol. 5, p. 515, states that they were accompanied by Hájí Mírzá Siyyid Muhammad<5>.

448^ INBMC 51:261, no. 265.

449^ Mázandarání, Táríkh Zuhúru’l-Haqq, vol. 5, pp. 515–16, reports: “In accordance with His [Bahá’u’lláh’s] instructions, the two of them spoke with her about the Cause. Expressing her deep regret, the Báb’s mother alluded to the shameful act of Mírzá Yahyá Azal in marrying the wife of the Báb from Isfahán days and remarked, ‘How is one to trust the faith of a people who marry His wife, while the blood of that Wronged One [the Báb] is still wet on the ground?!’ On returning to the presence of the Blessed Beauty, Siyyid Javád conveyed her objections. Bahá’u’lláh was deeply saddened and responded, ‘Henceforth, do not speak with the mother of the Báb about this Cause, as she is grieved over what has happened. Indeed, no excuse can be offered for the transgressions that she speaks of, and she is most assuredly correct about them.’”

450^ Bahá’u’lláh, Kitáb-i Badi‘, p. 389.

451^ For a translation of this document, see appendix 4, or Rabbani, “Conversion of the Great-Uncle of the Báb.”

452^ Fayzí, Khándán Afnán, pages prior to 43.

453^ Hájí ‘Abdu’r-Rasul had three children: Hájí Muhammad-Ibráhím Muballigh, Hájíyyih Bíbí Gawhar, and Hájíyyih Fátimih Bíbí.

454^ Her name was Hájíyyih Bíbí Ján-Ján. She passed away in 1889 and was buried in Sháh-Chiráq.

455^ At the Báb’s instruction, all believers were called on to go to Mazandarán to aid Quddús.

456^ Fayzí, Khándán Afnán, p. 198.

457^ Presumably, a reference to Khadíjih Bagum.

458^ Fayzí, Khándán Afnán, pp. 198–99.

459^ Some of Bahá’u’lláh’s Tablets to Khadíjih Bagum are quoted in Fayzí, Khándán Afnán, pp. 186–91.

460^ Fayzí, Khándán Afnán, p. 203.

461^ For details of the events leading up to the passing of Khadíjih Bagum, see chapter 9.

462^ Bahá’u’lláh, Núri’d-Din Collection, pp. 72–73.

463^ Presumably, a reference to Núri’d-Dín.

464^ A reference to Khadíjih Bagum.

465^ Afnán Kabír and his family.

466^ Bahá’u’lláh, Núri’d-Dín Collection, pp. 70–71.

467^ Hájí Mírzá Haydar-‘Alí.

468^ Hájí Siyyid Mírzá Muhammad, known as Khál Akbar.

469^ INBMC 52:282, no. 333.

470^ Mázandarání, Táríkh Zuhúru’l-Haqq, vol. 5, p. 529.

471^ See Balyúzí, Khadíjih Bagum, p. 25, and Balyúzí, Eminent Bahá’ís in the Time of Bahá’u’lláh, p. 216.

472^ See ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Memorials of the Faithful, p. 22.

473^ See Browne, A Traveler’s Narrative, pp. xxxvii-xxxviii.

474^ Mázandarání, Táríkh Zuhúru’l-Haqq, vol. 5, p. 529 gives the date as 1894.

475^ See Tablets of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá quoted in Fayzí, Khándán Afnán, pp. 251–55.

476^ For a brief biography of Mírzá Abú’l-Qásim, see Fasá’í, Fársnámih Násirí, vol. 2, p. 131.

477^ Fayzí. Khándán Afnán, pp. 261–62.

478^ Malmírí, Khátirát Malmirí, pp. 59–61.

479^ One of the most detailed eyewitness accounts of this watershed event is in the unpublished memoir of Ustád ‘Alí-Akbar Banná Yazdí, Táríkh ‘Ishqábád, INBMC, vol. 94, 407 pages.

480^ Bahá’í World Centre Research Department Memorandum, dated 31 October 1996.

481^ ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Memorials of the Faithful, p. 129.

482^ ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s Tablet to Nátiq Nísání, Ma’idih Asimání, vol. 2, p. 50, and Fayzí, Khándán Afnán, p. 117. The other elders are the Báb and His circle of 18 Letters of the Living. ‘Abdu’l-Bahá has further stated in another Tablet (Ma’idih Asimání, vol. 2, p. 50) that the identity of the remaining four elders will be known in the future.

483^ A short but important biography of the Vakílu’d-Dawlih was written by Charles Mason Remey, Star of the West, 7 February 1916.

484^ See Fayzí, Khándán Afnán, pp. 118–25. One of the notebooks of the Vakílu’d-Dawlih’s memoirs is kept at the Bahá’í World Centre Archives MR 1442/F.235. Several other memoirs are translated in Rabbani, “Conversion of the Great-Uncle of the Báb.” Vakílu’d-Dawlih’s correspondence with Siyyid Muhammad, a son of Mírzáy-i Shírází, is in the private hands of his descendants.

485^ It is noted in his biography in Fasá’í, Fársnámih Násirí, vol. 2, p. 45, that, due to economic depression in Fárs and family bankruptcy, Hájí Mírzá Muhammad-‘Alí went to China for 10 years. There, he became the main contact for the opium trade of the merchants of Isfahán, Yazd, and Fárs. In the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh, he is referred to as “the Afnán in China.” See Bahá’u’lláh’s Tablet in Fayzí, Khándán Afnán, p. 83.

486^ He married his maternal cousin, daughter of Hájí ‘Abdu’l-Husayn.

487^ See ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Memorials of the Faithful, pp. 16–21.

488^ The news of this achievement was communicated on 15 June 1959 by the Hands of the Cause living in the Holy Land.

489^ See Fayzí, Khándán Afnán, pp. 88–93.

490^ The text is in Fayzí, Khándán Afnán, pp. 155–58.

491^ The text is in Fayzí, Khándán Afnán, pp. 146–47.

492^ Bahá’u’lláh, Tablets of Bahá’u’lláh, p. 84.

493^ He was related to ‘Abdu’l-Bahá through his marriage to Munírih Khánum’s sister.

494^ INBMC 52:273–74, no. 323.

495^ Nabíl Zarandí refers to this incident on page 1012 of his unpublished manuscript and includes it as “among the recent occurrences.” This suggests that it happened at the same time that Nabíl was concluding his narrative, namely, circa Rabí‘u’l-Avval AH 1308 (October 1890). See Navvabzadeh-Ardikani,